Between Men and Wolves
by Arlia'Devi
Summary: Two years have passed and there's been no sign of San, until one night she returns to be with Ashitaka. Within Iron Town, however, San struggles to find her place between the two worlds and to stay by Ashitaka's side. "I never wanted it to be easy; I just wanted you, San."
1. Two Years Past

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own The Princess Mononoke in any respect; all rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and associates. I make no money from this.

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

1. Two Years Past

There was once a place called Iron Town that was nestled beside a hill. Once it had harvested the iron deposits below, and that had once caused a serious problem, but not anymore. Within Iron Town lived a woman named Lady Eboshi, who had once led an army against the Spirit of the forest for the ore that lie underneath, but not anymore. Now, with one arm and a mind of bitter memories, she tended to her lepers, her injured children she took pity on, as they minded her secret garden and drank in the morning sun.

_I will make a better Iron Town…_

Then there was the drunkard unorthodox monk Jigo, who loitered around Iron Town because of the women – indeed, he enjoyed how feisty the women were, that they spat sparks of heat like a fire. He lived no where, just meandered around, but he would always return to Iron Town one way or the other – sometimes battered up after receiving a beating for glancing at a feudal princess bathing, or baring gifts for the women.

Nothing had changed particularly with Jigo, nor the Iron Town in general. The women still lived here with their husbands, their children ran the streets and both the women and the men worked the days in the sheds and factories. Lady Eboshi still harvested the iron below the hills, and sold it in high demand – making Iron Town very rich indeed, but it was never in excess, and Lady Eboshi never wanted more than she had been given to harvest – enough Iron for a hundred years. They had once cleared the hills for charcoal, needed for ironsand in the production of their advanced weaponry. They no longer produced weapons; which was something Ashitaka had made sure of. The ladies worked in the boiler rooms still, they liked it there, they had said and besides brothels weren't that appealing. Jigo had once joked to Ashitaka that they're past in brothels had not been wasted. Ashitaka had screwed his nose and turned away, wishing to know no more.

"Come now, Ashitaka," ribbed Jigo with a elbow to the boy's stomach. "You're a man now – pick a maiden, the lord knows there are enough to pick from in this village. I'd say you'd have them duelling each other for a place on your arm."

Ashitaka huffed by the firepit, grabbing another bowl of the soup. It was late, and they met in the messhall – the other men were already asleep with their wives or on guard duty. A few women walked the streets, coming home from "I'm not interested."

"Why not?" Jigo huffed. "You must not know the embrace of a woman – how great it can be, Ashitaka, if you keep rejecting such beautiful women."

A giggle had Ashitaka looking out the shoji screen to where a woman waved at him and he waved bac, just a little. Jigo wriggled his eyebrows, but at Ashitaka's half-fallen face, he said, "No?"

"I had a fiancée, once," Ashitaka murmured. "I have known the company of a woman, though it was merely company since we were not married yet. But when I got the curse, I was cast out." He thought of the knife Kaya had given him, and how he had not seen such knife in two years. "You know the story, Jigo, as do I. I need not repeat it for anyone's benefit."

Jigo huffed over his soup and frowned. "Well then, Ashitaka, you will sit here in your own misery. That girl – the wolf girl, she's probably dead, you know. No one can survive out in that forest for very long, even now when we…" he trailed off and his empty dish clattered on the tatami mat. "Besides," Jigo said a little softer. "She wouldn't make a good wife, Ashitaka – she's wild. You'd never tame her. A woman like that is best left to her own devices. And those wolves she calls her brothers would eat you in once bite if you put a hand on their sister. Talk about protective."

Ashitaka sighed, hot air billowing out his nostrils as he watched the flickering of the fire. Jigo got to his feet and patted the man's back softly. "You should reconsider the women of the village – Toki's cousin is the same age as you, pretty face, long hair, big breasts." Ashitaka shrugged and Jigo shuffled towards the door. "Get some rest, anyway, Ashitaka."

The monk left Ashitaka to the fire pit.

Half-an-hour later and another bowl of wallowing soup, Ashitaka was about to douse the fire and leave the soup in the pot, nestling it in the glowing embers when a few men wandered in and he readily left the soup on the fire for them, wishing them a pleasant evening.

Iron Town was cool in September, and he reminded himself to put Yakult's coat over him for the night and a fresh handful of hay. Yakult resided comfortably in large stables build by Ashitaka's hut. The town's folk had insisted two years ago that upon building Ashitaka a hut, Yakult shouldn't have to suffer in the rain – and so, the elk had dry, warm place to lie when it rained. In the daylight, he would eat the grass growing along the rolling hills, careful not to tread anywhere the seedlings of the forest were growing.

He would eat with the village men often, but if he grew tired of their company the lepers and Lady Eboshi often made too much miso and stored some of it in his storage shed to fester, and he was welcome to that whenever he wished. He also received some small vegetables - a handful of carrots and an ear of greens and pickles upon occasion. Apparently, the one thing Lady Eboshi felt sorry for more than her abandoned prostitutes were lonely, single men.

That hadn't been the first time Jigo had told him to wake up and take a woman, either. Lady Eboshi had asked him to come along in spring to the festival, introducing six new girls into womanhood as they danced and played their instruments in Iron Town, and Lady Eboshi said that only one had already been promised to a man and the rest he could take his pick, but Ashitaka had refused. He was not interested.

That also hadn't been the only time someone had said that the wolf girl would make a horrible wife. She'd lived out in the woods all her life what would she know about tending to a fire, or making food over it? How could she ever sew new garments and clothes for their backs? Did she even know how to grow vegetables, or did she eat the moss off of rocks and salvage whatever she found? Sometimes they asked, a little snicker in their voices, "She would carry her infants around in her mouth, she would call them pups and rear them as wolves do."

That's what most people didn't understand. He had never wanted a wife like that. He had never worried that San could never be a good wife – he did not care. Just, if one day, she would be, would all be enough. If one day, he would see her again.

Kaya had been his first fiancée, she had given him the crystal knife, which in turn, he had given to San – a symbol of their union, a last-resort weapon to save a life. It hung around her neck the last time he'd seen her, the long two years ago upon her brother's back. She smiled at him, told him how much he meant to her, and then had disappeared. But, Ashitaka had understood. They had duties beyond them: Iron Town was burning, it had burnt to the ground by the time they'd gotten to it, and the forest was only starting to grow again. Other people needed them more than they needed each other. He had promised they would meet again, one day in the future – he would come to visit, but the days he'd taken Yakult into the forest, San was no where around. He'd called out to her, asking, pleading some days after months of disappearance, to meet him by the water's edge of the sacred lake, to see him again, if only once more.

Two years had passed, and Iron Town was a prospering city with men often coming to view the beauty of the girls who worked – the rumours of such a thing spreading all over Japan. These women were like fire themselves, and only the bravest men survived. Some said the women had dragon's eggs in their stomach, that the fire burned and churned down there, making them feisty and snappy – but that was what some men loved, especially Jigo. True, these women were the wildest that could ever be a wife, and yet, Ashitaka wanted something wilder.

Yakult whinnied as Ashitaka approached him, scratching his nose softly and grabbing the jacket to throw over his back. The man then refilled the water container and offered the elk fresh hay and a carrot from Eboshi's secret village. "We'll go out for a run tomorrow, ne?" Ashitaka asked Yakult softly and smiled. "It will be good for us – the fresh air."

A year ago, in April, Yakult had disappeared. He had disappeared for three days and three nights and then, on the fourth day returned and lied in his stable as if nothing was out of order. Ashitaka noticed his appearance with a start and smiled, "Where have you been Yakult?" he leant over the stable railings and smirked, offering a handful of hay. It was April – spring, he knew where the red elk had gone. "I had not thought there were too many red elk females around these parts."

* * *

The next day, it was raining. Ashitaka huffed as he opened the tatami mat and saw the rain, rushing down in grey sheets over Iron Town. Yakult popped his head out, his nose getting a little wet, and then he sneezed. Ashitaka sighed. "Looks like we won't get that ride today, huh, old friend?" The ground was simply squelched mud.

The day passed slowly, Ashitaka couped up inside as the rain did not lessen. He sharpened a katana, then stitched up a kosode that had a tear in it from building a new couple – one of the girls from the spring festivals, a hut for her new husband. Ashitaka stitched it back together roughly, but he didn't mind the bad job – it gave the kosode character, and he was covered with scars, why shouldn't his clothes be? The curse had never disappeared, not completely, the snake-like curse serving to remind him of human anger and hatred, and then what he had gone through to have it lifted. A few nicks on his skin from katana's (San's or whoelses), had healed over easily enough, but the curse markings had lingered.

_You mean so much to me, Ashitaka…_

Ashitaka sighed and rolled over, his back to the front of the hut. The fire burnt softly in the pit, and a few blankets were suspended near it, but not close enough as to burn. They dried by the left wall, and Ashitaka sighed.

He had once been the Prince of a hidden village, the next great general and chief of their secret society. He had protected the village from the accursed boar, which had ran so far from it's home festering in curse all the way. The arrow had struck it, it had died and dissolved, and he had been cursed for it – cursed for saving the village, and cast out by the village elder should he not wish to die. Ashitaka had never wished to die, not like that anyway. But the boar had not been old; the god was young and powerful, and he was curious more than anything as to what had caused the god to become such a demon.

Outside, harsh wind billowed across the hut. He heard Yakult snort and move further into his dry stables. It truly was boring when it rained, though the forest probably needed it. Over summer it had dried up and a few areas of seedlings had died, sprouts of age-old forest trees on bare hills. He thought perhaps he would see San sometimes, tending to the new sprout-lings, but he never did. He never saw her.

Ashitaka rolled over, his back facing the storm outside.

_What could have happened to San?_

* * *

This is a little project I was working on, after I read a really… strange AshitakaxSan fanfic. I'd wanted to write one for ages, and I finally got the time and motivation to. I often write for Miyazaki's fantastic movies, I also write for Sprited Away, in **The Path of Water**, my ChihiroxHaku story. I intend for this story to be rather short (don't have the time or motivation for anything longer these days), maybe it's only going to be 6-10 chapters long. I'm not too fussed on the title, but I couldn't come up with anything better, so…

I read somewhere that Kaya was intended always to be Ashitaka's abandoned fiancée, and that in a small village everyone called each other brother and sister, but Miyazaki had intended them to be lovers until, well, the whole killing the cursed god and almost dying situation. So, in my story she's the old fiancée. Not that it makes much difference in the long run.

Anyway, if you liked it, please don't hesitate to hit me up with a quick **review**. I always love feedback, and writing for someone who's telling me they're really into what I'm writing gives a great buzz.

Until next time,

**~ Arlia'Devi.**


	2. Quaint Iron Town

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own The Princess Mononoke in any respect; all rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and associates. I make no money from this.

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

2. Quaint Iron Town

By the following morning, the rain had cleared and the ground was a little dryer. Still, Ashitaka resisted taking Yakult for a run, for if there was still a wet area of ground, the elk could falter and break a leg, and then he'd been in for more trouble not less. Instead, he allowed the elk to wander around the village as he usually did, to drink by the delta of the river and rest in the sun. Meanwhile, Ashitaka helped old Fijaro when his hut had flooded, as did some of the other men – sweeping out the water and caking mud. The water had ruined the tatami mats and the ends of the walls, it would not take long before it rotted away, so the old man went to live with his granddaughter and her husband and Ashitaka went to the mess halls for lunch.

Jigo was there, and he turned when Ashitaka came into view and said, "Toki wants you to go by her house this afternoon – didn't say why." Jigo shrugged and ate a bowl of blandly flavoured rice. "You cleaned up that old fart's house huh?"

Ashitaka nodded. "There's not much of it left – the roof was leaking through, and the water got under the boards. He's better off living with his granddaughter anyway."

"Living in a hut that wasn't made twenty years ago you mean," Jigo huffed. "Ehh… I got caught up with Lady Eboshi," he sighed. "She wants me to head over to Shinji – you know, the village through around the forest. I ain't too keen on it, really. It's a long way. You think I could cut through the forest now that there's no… er… spirits around."

Ashitaka shook his head. "If San is still in there, then her brother's wouldn't like trespassers.'

"You've been in there a whole heap of times," Jigo said. "You've never been attacked. I think I'd be pretty safe."

"That's different," Ashitaka replied. "Besides, you'll probably step on something – there's holy ground all through that place and the Kodama have only just reappeared. Just go around. I'd offer Yakult, he would like the run, but he doesn't like anyone else riding him."

"Picky animal," Jigo huffed. "Suppose I could just take a horse then. Eboshi suggested I go through the forest, but I don't really want my head ripped off by wolves."

Ashitaka nodded. "I should get to Toki's. The men said there was more rain coming this afternoon, and I want to get Yakult in before then."

"More rain?" Jigo huffed, and rolled back. His yukata parted slightly to reveal his bulbous, hairy gut and Jigo scratched it contently and burped a little. Ashitaka left the monk to his soup in the mess hall and gazed to the skies – indeed, storm clouds were coming from over the forest, laden with rain and a dark grey. Perhaps it was wise to get Yakult back in before he visited Toki's – the woman would probably have a lot to say.

"Yakult!" whistled Ashitaka near the gate. For a moment, there was no sound, and the boy scanned around for the elk. He called again and whistled through his fingers.

An acknowledging cry echoed through the pastures and Yakult swam across the river, shaking himself on the delta before wandering over to Ashitaka.

"Where in the world have you been?" muttered Ashitaka, patting the elk's fur dry. "Over in the forest, huh? See anything interesting?"

Yakult trotted back into the gates of Iron Town and turned left to their home, which touched right on the log-wood fence. "Nothing, ne?" Ashitaka muttered and headed back into Iron Town. Yakult disappeared into his stall.

Toki was nursing when Ashitaka entered the hut. Her husband, the fool Kohroku Ashitaka had once rescued after he'd fallen from a mountain, was out on errands, and Toki nursed her baby daughter as she suckled, wrapped in cotton fabric. Ashitaka bowed, and then realised what Toki was doing, and couldn't help but waver his eyes. "My apologies, Toki," he muttered and went to scramble out the door. "I'll come back a little later."

"Stay, Ashitaka," replied Toki, fixing her yukata and proceeding to burp the baby. "She's almost ready to sleep, anyway. If she can sleep through her father's snoring, then she can sleep through us talking."

Ashitaka took a seat on the floor and asked, "What did you want to see me about, Toki?"

The woman smiled gently and rocked her babe back and forth. "Eboshi told me she introduced to you three more maidens that will be women in the coming spring, and you still are not interested," she sighed. "My sister's daughter, her Aziza is a beautiful woman also – could I not get you two acquainted?"

Ashitaka said nothing for a long time, and Toki merely hushed her child as she began to fret in her arms, lulling her back to sleep. When Ashitaka did eventually speak, he said, "People keep introducing women to me, beautiful women, I know, but I want nothing of them. People keep saying how she won't make a good wife – but I don't care for those women, and I don't care if she will make a good wife or not. I just know that I would be happy."

Toki sighed. "It's been two years, Ashitaka, you may well never see her again."

Ashitaka didn't say anything to that.

"Where has she been the last two years, Ashitaka? How do you know she still thinks the same?"

"I know she does," Ashitaka replied, biting his lip. His eyes had dropped to the floor. "I just do."

Toki sighed then and placed the sleeping infant into her crib. "I didn't want you to come to talk about this particularly – I had something to give you, really, but, Ashitaka, it's been two years. No one expects you to wait for her forever. Even if she did come here, do you really think she would want to live in Iron Town? What would the villagers think of her, what would she think of this place? Do you think she would be happy living here?"

"If she did come back one day," Ashitaka muttered. "And she did want to stay in Iron Town, would you accept her? Would you treat her like you treat me?"

Toki frowned for a moment. "Of course, Ashitaka. If she's special to you, then she's special to me," and then she laughed. "You're like one of my own, Ashitaka – you big dope." She offered the man a gentle smile. "I'm sorry; I just want you to be happy. I don't mean to intrude on you."

Ashitaka grinned well-naturedly and embraced Toki. "It's alright," he muttered. "I know everyone wants me to be happy, really. At least that's what they say."

"You've done so much for this village over the years, Ashitaka, we just want to give you something to show you our gratitude – we thought a happy life with a beautiful wife would be something we could offer… but," she sighed then and let the man go. "You're a man now – almost twenty, you can make your own decisions."

Toki rummaged through her chest for a moment before pulling out a folded piece of white fabric. "Here, I made this for you – I saw how your old one got ripped a while ago, and it's getting into winter as well," she handed Ashitaka the new undershirt. "It's a present, or an exchange to cash up sometime you can babysit Maya."

Ashitaka thanked Toki for her gift, and then the mother ushered her adoptive son out to his home – the storm cloud were looming overhead and even before he'd reached the hut, it began to drizzle. He gave Yakult fresh bedding, moving the soiled bedding to the compost the villagers were free to use on their crops, before feeding the elk and changing his water. Yakult rolled in his bedding as Ashitaka clipped the blanket over his back.

Then, he retired into his own hut, pulled off his boots and changed his socks, washing the old ones in a bucket of warm water and hanging them up to dry. He stowed his new kosode complimentary of Toki in a chest of his clothes by his futon, which lie in a small room off the main area – his bedroom. Ashitaka placed a pot outside, intending on catching the rainwater as it fell from the roof. He considered having a bath, but going to the men's bathhouse was too much of a trek, and he would only get as dirty on return.

Ashitaka relaxed against the tatami mats, pulling off his jacket and undershirt to sit in only a pair of slacks hung low on his hips. With one leg crossed over, he waited for the water on the fire to boil and then intended making himself a pot of rice for dinner, adding a few cutlets of vegetables from Eboshi's garden. The water boiled and he added the rice, and chopped up some vegetables as the rice cooked. He added a little sauce for taste, some cane sugar and then the vegetables. One day he may have a woman to do this for him, or he may not – either way, he didn't really care whether the woman knew how to sew, or cook, or keep a house. He had been in the hut for a year and a half and it was going well in the care of a bachelor.

Ashitaka ate dinner, and left the rest to be thrown out and washed tomorrow – though there was not much left in the pot – perhaps half a serve. Outside it was dreadfully cold, and the pot had filled up with rainwater by the time Ashitaka was ready to retire, so he switched it for a smaller pot, and hauled the one full of water inside, depositing it into a large tub. He clipped the tatami mat door closed and then slid over a thicker wooden door to keep out the wind and rain. A candle burnt in the bedroom as he pulled out blankets and furs to line the futon with. The furs had been given to him as presents by Eboshi when he moved into the hut. Apparently she gave every new citizen a fur or two, which were bought from markets and usually from cattle or deer, the carcases then made to meat.

The trickling of the rain was soothing as Ashitaka pulled back the covers and pulled on a light sleeping shirt. The flame was blown out as Ashitaka settled for the night.

As the moon hit the peak of the sky, Ashitaka was bolted upright from a keen whinny from Yakult out in his stable. The elk was obviously distressed, he heard Yakult's high-pitched wails and his hooves thumping against the hard ground. Lighting a candle and throwing on his boots, Ashitaka emerged from the hut to a calm night. The rain had stopped and the small water pot was half full, and Yakult was staring off into the distance, whimpering in the back of his throat, twitching his ears around in circles.

"What's the matter, Yakult?" Ashitaka approached the spooked elk, scratching his nose. The elk however, did not move to his master's touch, his brown eyes staring ahead into the darkness until Ashitaka followed Yakult's trail of vision and swept the candle to where his eyes could not see.

And there, lingering in the shadows stood the wolf princess. Her furs, hair and body were drenched from the rain and she panting heavily, with one hand grasping her large stone dagger and her eyes staring right at Ashitaka.

* * *

Thanks to those who reviewed previously! San has come back – hooray! What will this mean for Ashitaka and Iron Town in general? Stay in tuned. Thanks to the people who reviewed the last chapter!

**Luna in Bloodland, Wolf Melody, xRaianx,** and** DemonMiko Jenna.**

Please review!

~ Arlia'Devi.


	3. The Wolf Woman

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own The Princess Mononoke in any respect; all rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and associates. I make no money from this.

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

3. The Wolf Woman

"San," Ashitaka gasped and stumbled forward. Yakult whinnied again and stomped his hooves on the dirt. Ashitaka calmed the elk down with a scratch on the nose. "Shh, Yakult." Ahead, San stood rigid, growling softly in the back of her throat. She held the dagger tightly, and the half of her mask was hanging by her neck. She wore the furs of the forest, which were drenched, wrappings around her feet that were soiled and thinned.

Ashitaka stepped forward, dropping the candle into the mud puddles. "San…," he whispered and held his arms out. She caught a sob then, dropping the dagger to the mud and stumbled forward. "It's me, Ashitaka."

"Ashitaka," she wailed and he caught her as she sloshed through the mud. She shivered and was drenched to the bone. "I'm sorry I made you wait so long," she whimpered. "Ashitaka, please forgive me, I had no idea."

Her skin was moddled with forest debris and mud, her face smeared with leaves and red from scratches. The white wolf furs were stained and wet, and it sunk into his clothes as he embraced her. Her hair was still short – cut jaggedly with the large katana she wielded probably. Her mask was smudged with mark and scratched. He whispered her name in her ear, said that he forgave her

He nodded and crushed her against him and she shivered in his arms. Yakult whinnied and Ashitaka picked up the dagger hidden in the mud. "Come inside," he said to San, who had crossed her arms over her chest. She had shallow cuts and was seeping blood. "I'll give you some fresh clothes."

The Mononoke princess nodded and followed Ashitaka into the warm foyer of his hut. Mud followed her feet on the tatami mat, and he quickly grabbed a small pot of water to wash them off in after unwrapping the layers and tossing the soiled bindings to the side. San watched Ashitaka's movements silently, her furs dripping onto the floor. He offered her a small towel and she took it with a small grin, using it to dab at her hair and face as water dribbled down her neck and back. "You've grown," she said at last, a bare whisper.

"Have I?" he replied with a small smile. The red ochre she marked her cheeks with was running off. Ashitaka raised a warm cloth to wipe off the smeared markings. "You look different too."

"Good different?" she asked in an innocent inquiry. "I'm sorry I scared Yakult – I didn't mean to."

"He'll get over it," replied Ashitaka. He cast an eye to the dripping furs and wordlessly got up and hauled the large tub over the fire pit, warming the water. "I'm heating up some water for a bath," he muttered, "Those cuts you have, they need to be cleaned, and I'll wash your furs for you so they can dry." San was about to speak then when Ashitaka took the bath off the fire and said, "I'll let you… um," he tested the water. "It's not too hot… I'll get you some clothes to wear while your fur dries… and something to treat those cuts."

San nodded, a light dusting . "Thank you, Ashitaka…," she murmured and slipped off the once white shirt, before stepping out of her navy underdress. Her furs were dropped on the tatami mats, and slowly she sunk down into the warm water. "It's like a hot spring," she murmured, nestling her body into the tub. She took a cloth and began rubbing down her arms and face. Ashitaka reappeared then, and after making awkward eye contact, picked up San's clothes and began to wash them in a small pot of water over the fire. The furs were clogged with mud and blood, and then he hung them along the wall to dry, next to where a pair of his socks hung. He plucked them down and put them by Toki's new kosode and a longer jacket. "Here are some fresh clothes."

"Thank you, Ashitaka," San murmured. "You're being so kind to me…"

"Of course," Ashitaka smiled and settled next to San, his fingers dipping into a mortar of green, ground up paste, which he smeared into a cut on San's cheek. "Can… can I ask you – what are you doing here… after so long. I… um?"

San sighed, splashed her hands and said, "My brothers told me that my duty as a cub of my mother was to tend to the forest…" Ashitaka sat against the wall. The tub was modest, concealing her from the toe to the chin – and San never had too much qualms about modesty anyway. "They told me that when the time would come I would meet you again until then I had my duty to the forest. They forbade me from seeing you until the forest was well again. I heard you call in the forest sometimes; I wanted come down to meet you… I'm sorry, Ashitaka, I never meant to hurt you."

"It's been two years, San…," Ashitaka sighed. "We rebuilt Iron Town, but I always thought of you…"

San smiled. "I thought of you too, Ashitaka. You and Yakult, almost every day…" she sighed. "My brothers wanted to rebuild the clan, they told me it was time to go to my own kind – they told me I needed to find a mate like they had. I would always be Moro's daughter, apart of the wolf god clan, but I was not a wolf like they were. They told me to come to you. I only hoped you were still in Iron Town…"

Ashitaka put the pot of rice back on the fire and said, "Hungry?"

"Much, thanks," San smiled. "I spent some time around humans... near where Yama found a mate, there was a small village...I learnt to talk better. We stayed there for three full moons."

Ashitaka nodded and was about to say something before San shivered. "If the water's getting cold, I'll go into the other room and you can get changed. I have a futon, you can sleep in there tonight and I'll sleep out here."

"Ashitaka," San whispered then.

"Yes?"

She hesitated for a moment, wiping the ochre markings off her face. Then she turned to look at him, more like a woman than he'd ever seen. "Do you think they'll accept me here… after… after everything that's happened? Could I live here?"

Ashitaka smiled and threw the girls navy dress over the drying line. "Of course, San. I'll make sure you -,"

"Do you think I could live here… w-with you?" she interrupted with a murmur. "Please, Ashitaka… but I know I'm being intrusive." Then she sighed and said, "We hardly know each other anymore, Ashitaka."

"What were you doing out in the rain, San?"

She frowned. "We were on the edges of the forest – I had travelled with my brothers to the East, searching out the Eastern Wolf pack, who promised two females to re-establish our pack. Toro said to me then, my time with the wolf pack had ended, that like them, I was to find my own mate. I ran through the forest, and I came to Iron Town. I'm sorry, I was scared. I didn't know what the villagers would do if they saw me. I waited around in the edge of the forest in the afternoon – I saw Yakult in the fields and I knew you had to be living here still."

She shivered then. The water in the tub had gotten very cold.

"I'll be in the other room," Ashitaka murmured, getting to his feet and disappearing, closing the separating shoji for modesty. San stepped out of the tub and onto the tatami mats. She took some of the herb paste from the mortar and smelled it, recognising it as some plants found within the forest and smeared it across a few shallow cuts and aching scrapes before pulling on the kosode and jacket, which stopped around mid-thigh. She called out to Ashitaka then, and upon seeing the fabric pooling around her, grabbed the navy fabric belt of the jacket and wrapped it around her waist before tying it to her side, securing it to her waist. "There," he murmured and took the rice off the fireplace before offering it to her. "Here, it's not much – there's no meat. Maybe tomorrow we'll go and get a rabbit…"

San nodded and took the bowl gratefully, picking the rice up with her fingers and bringing it to her mouth. Ashitaka offered her the ladle from the water bucket and she drank readily. Then, as she touched the fabric of the kosode, she said, "This is new?"

"A woman from the village made it for me," he replied. "I'll introduce her to you tomorrow, I know she'll like you…" and then he frowned. "You're really sure you want to do this, live here, I mean?"

San nodded. "I want to. I mean, where else would I have to go? But… I'm scared. I've never been this scared before, Ashitaka," she murmured and looked away. "I don't know what to do, I've never lived with people before, I-,"

"I'll help you," he assured softly, his arms wrapping around her gently as San stepped closer. "You won't be alone – I'll be here."

She smiled softly and finished drying her hair and then nuzzled the hem of Ashitaka's light kosode. "Thank you, Ashitaka – you've been so kind to me." He smiled.

"You should get some sleep, San," he murmured. "We'll have a lot to do in the morning."

"Ashitaka!" she cried, stepping back a little. "Please, tell me, I don't want to impose… Is… Is there someone else? If there is, I'll leave. I don't want to, I mean-,"

"There's no one else, San," Ashitaka said in a ghost of a whisper. "In honesty, I've been waiting for you these past two years."

She smiled softly against his collarbone, her head dipped under his chin. She did feel weary, and it was late at night – perhaps even close to dawn. Ashitaka said releasing her, "The sun will come up soon – you need to get some sleep."

And with that, he guided her to his bedroom, and to the futon he lie set out for himself beforehand, while he stole some blankets to sleep by the fire pit. Ashitaka awoke a little before dawn it seemed not a moment later. The fire had been banked and was smouldering beside him, it's heat warming the entire room. But, by far, the strangest thing was the little ball of fur resting not an arms length away from his body. The fur was dry and soft, and underneath, San's face was buried in her arms, and she was snoring softly.

Outside, he heard the howling of the wolves pierce the air. San shifted, recognised the call in her sleep, and for a moment, Ashitaka was afraid she would wake up to the call, but she merely sighed contently and shifted to roll onto stomach, curled into a ball under wolf fur.

* * *

Thanks to the reviewers of last chapter, which were,

**Wolf Melody****, ****Inuxplicable, Ziggy-zee, ****BLISStheROGUE**, and **Luna in Bloodland****.**

Thanks for reviewing guys and I hope to hear from you again! So, unlike TPOW – my Spirited Away fic, these chapters are actually very short (I'm sure you noticed?). I hope that's not off-putting! I update once a week, around Friday.

Please **review!**

**~Arlia'Devi.**


	4. A New Life

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own The Princess Mononoke in any respect; all rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and associates. I make no money from this.

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

4. A New Life

Ashitaka slept for a moment longer after that and awoke to the fire almost completely out. Reviving it, he set about making breakfast, seeing San's fur pushed to the side and her robes plucked off the drying line. His clothes she had been wearing were folded a little messily by the wall, as well. Ashitaka frowned and pushed the screen to the hut open, wondering where San could have got to. He was about to call out to her when he heard soft murmurings by Yakult's stable and the elk muttering back.

"San?" Ashitaka smiled as the wolf girl scratched Yakult's nose.

"He's been telling me all about you, Ashitaka," she replied with a gentle smile. She wore her clean clothes. "What you've been doing in Iron Town all this time."

Ashitaka rubbed the jaw of his elk, the reigns and harnesses hanging by the walls. "He hasn't been for a run in a while because of the rain lately– we can take him out this afternoon, would you like to come? It's a little bumpier than riding a wolf, though."

San nodded and smiled. "It sounds nice." Then her eyes fell to the ground. "Ashitaka, I-,"

"You don't have to do anything today," he replied, filling in for where she couldn't seem to speak. "Rest a little, stay inside the hut – you don't have to do everything in one day, San."

She nodded again. "You're right," whispered San. And he was right. It was beginning to become day – she slipped back into the hut as she heard the rustle of people around, and found that Ashitaka had rice over the fire pit boiling. Her stomach growled and for once she was grateful for the constant food available within the village. In the forest, it was not uncommon for her to eat one small meal a day, or an apple or berries when she could salvage some. Winter was particularly cold and often she slept hungry.

She had never been around a fire before – not like this anyway. Fires were hot and suffocating, she was told to stay away from them, and she was scared to be near it. They were apart of the forest process, the life and death balance, but Moro had always told her to stay away from the area burning. Ashitaka handled it easily enough, she supposed, as he came back in and took the rice off the fire with a piece of cloth, before separating it into two bowls. San ate with her hands. Ashitaka used sticks.

In the corner were San's belongings – her mask and daggers and such all covered in mud. Ashitaka finished his breakfast and went to get dressed, pulling clothes out of the chest, his blue jacket wrapping around the cream kosode, a pair of socks and cream boots. He tied the black string to fasten down the straps and then pulled the sleeve of the kosode over his scarred arm. San watched intrigued.

"This is from the curse?" she said getting up and walking over to Ashitaka, pushing up his sleeve in a single sweep. Her fingers danced gently around the snake-like curse, and she marvelled at the rubbery feel of the healed-over scar. Ashitaka only nodded.

"I'm going to visit Toki – a friend of mine. I shouldn't be gone long. No one should come around."

San nodded and rolled his sleeve back down. "It's alright, I'll talk to Yakult."

"Yakult must be such a rambler," he joked softly, adding a few extra logs to the fire.

"He tells me all about you, you know," she smiled. "He tells me of your old village, of when you were cursed and the pain you went through, of the fields he crossed when you ventured to the forest spirit. He loves you a lot, I can feel it within him."

Ashitaka smiled before leaning forward to press a delicate kiss to San's cheek. "I'll be back in an hour or so for lunch – keep out of trouble, alright?" San nodded a little flustered and Ashitaka left the hut. Yakult cried in excitement to be let out outside, but San heard his master promise later and the elk settled down.

* * *

"The wolf princess?" Toki hummed as she put away the dishes from lunch. "You're saying she stumbled into the village through the rain? Like, washed out?"

Ashitaka took a seat on the floor cross-legged as he explained to Toki. "I know it's hard to believe. At first, I thought it was a mind-trick, but she was cold and would have gotten sick. She's at my place now, if you don't believe me. Unless she's been spooked and run off somewhere, then it'll look like I'm a little crazy."

"You are crazy, Ashitaka!" laughed Toki. "You are my crazy, crazy boy. Couldn't settle for a normal village wife, could you?" the woman smiled gently then and went into her room. She reappeared moments later with an armful of fabrics and handed them to Ashitaka. "Here, you can't be dressing her in your clothes now – I'm too large for these after I had Maya, please give them to her."

"Thank you, Toki," smiled Ashitaka, and placed the pile of clothes to the side.

"People are going to start to talk if they see you carrying women's clothes back to the hut," Toki laughed, taking a white cotton sheet and wrapping the clothes up discreetly. "So she intends to live here, hmm?"

"The wolves have decided she should find her own pack to live with. They are rebuilding the pack – there was no place for her in it. San only knows Iron Town," Ashitaka replied.

"And what will Lady Eboshi think of all this?"

"I don't know," Ashitaka replied. "I suppose, if she doesn't allow San to live here, I'll leave with her. We'll make our own way. I can't abandon her."

Toki nodded. "I'm sure she would not want to see her best warrior leave the village."

Ashitaka groaned then, his mind suddenly registering something. "I'm on guard duty tonight," he muttered with a heaving sigh. "San will just have to stay inside."

Toki nodded. Ashitaka often stood guard duty, relieving the men and women from the posts. He didn't mind it often, and hardly anything ever came off of it. "I could ask Kohroku to switch with you – he's got duty seven nights later."

"No,' Ashitaka replied with a small sigh, "I'll do my own guard duty. I don't want to mess up the rosters."

Toki nodded. The morning had weaned and it was becoming midday. "Kohroku is out on expedition – I can mind San if you'd like. It would just be me and Maya – I'll stop the nosy villagers peeking into your hut for you."

"Ah, really?" Ashitaka grinned. Toki was cutting up chicken meat and bones for the stew she was making over the fire pit. "Sure. Hey, I'll make you and your princess a serving, hmm? We'll take it to your hut? You can give her the robes and I'll introduce myself to her while I'm at it."

Ashitaka nodded and helped Toki cut up the vegetables. "It's not that I don't want to leave her alone, I just don't want to leave the villagers alone with her. If someone should see her, and alert Eboshi or the men or women, they might drive her out. She's worried of what people may think of her in the village. I don't have the heart to tell her that her worries are valid."

Toki understood and soon the soup was ready, but before it got hot over the firepit, Ashitaka banked it and carried the pot outside while Toki gathered Maya and her necessities before setting out to take the food over to Ashitaka's hut. Yakult was waiting patiently in the stables and didn't fuss when Ashitaka approached, leading him to believe that nothing terrible had happened in his absence. The hut was silent.

"Hope she's around, otherwise I'm going to look foolish," smiled Ashitaka crookedly, pushing open the door and entering. Toki snickered and followed the young man inside.

"Ashitaka!' San cried, smiling and jumping to her feet upon seeing the man enter. When a woman followed, a curvaceous adult holding an infant, her smile dropped and she stepped back warily, her eyes darting from Ashitaka's to the woman's then back again and then over to where her clothes and weaponry were in the corner.

"This is Toki, San," Ashitaka said as he put the pot over the prongs of the fire pit. "Toki, this is San, who I was telling you about. Toki made that kosode you were wearing for me."

"Nice to meet you," Toki said, but made no move to get closer to the nerved woman. She definitely did look wild!

San nodded once and then looked over to Ashitaka, who offered her a gentle grin. "Did anything happen while I was gone? Did Yakult talk your ear off?"

"No," she replied quietly and remained standing as both Ashitaka and the woman took a seat. Toki held her baby in her arms and San watched curiously as she rubbed its back and murmured to it. It was clothed in a tiny robe and wrapped in a blanket, and the baby was not very old either – two or three months old.

"Is it a girl or a boy?" San asked eventually, taking a seat to sit across the room.

Toki smiled and looked at her daughter. "She's a girl – her name is Maya."

"Oh." San inched closer. "I've never seen a baby human before."

Toki laughed. "Well, they're just like you and I, only smaller and we have to be a little more delicate with them. I suppose you would have seen many baby animals though, with your time in the forest."

San nodded. "I'll go back to see the wolf cub litters when they are born."

Ashitaka eyed the conversation carefully. San was timid at first, as he knew she would be, but she was warming up to Toki. It was merely her nature; she was suspicious of a lot and protective, so it was only natural she had acted startled. The soup was almost ready and Ashitaka said, "Toki made this soup for you and I, San. Her husband has gone away for a few days and she likes to cook for people."

San nodded. "That was kind of you."

"I have heard the Kodama have been returning to the forest, little by little."

"They have," replied San. "Eventually. Kodama reflect how healthy a forest is, and its spiritual power. As long as the number of Kodama increase, the forest will prosper."

Ashitaka moved over to the chest and took out three china bowls and said, "I have guard duty tonight, San – I'm sorry, I forgot. Toki has suggested she keep you company while I am out. Is that alright?"

"Are you still taking Yakult out? He's getting anxious."

"Is he?" Ashitaka laughed. "He's probably watching the sky for clouds that look suspiciously full of rain. Itadaki-masu everyone." He settled down and took the ladle from the stew pot and poured generous amounts into the bowls. Toki rested her baby on a cushion as she ate, and San made use of a soup spoon, Ashitaka found that relieving and though he excused San's ill-manners eating rice, he wasn't so sure Toki would be so forgiving. Besides, he planned to teach her how to eat rice properly – she'd probably need it for the mess halls when they didn't feel like cooking.

"Jigo's been hanging around the women's bathhouse," Toki muttered. "Give him a smack over the head when you see him next, Ashitaka."

"It would only encourage him," sighed the man. "He enjoys revelling in things that are taboo – things he will get punished for."

"Do you like my soup, San? It's my speciality." Toki smiled and Maya rolled a little on her cushion. Ashitaka steadied the baby a little and she grasped his finger, smiling.

"It's very nice, thank you," she bowed a little. She watched Ashitaka smile and play with the infant as it held his large finger in its very small hands and giggled. Toki noticed this and laughed, prying Ashitaka's finger from being the victim of her daughter's gummy mouth before it was too late.

"Oh," Toki announced and looked at Ashitaka meaningfully. "Don't you have something to give San, Ashitaka?"

"Huh?" he muttered, finishing his soup. Toki glared at him. "Oh yes," he murmured and delved for the white-wrapped package, handing it over the small fire to San. "These are from Toki – she says you may have them while you're settling in."

San unravelled the package slowly, revealing beautiful prints of yukata, some plain robes and underclothes and socks. "Thank you," she smiled gently to Toki. "Where will I put these?" she asked Ashitaka.

"You can store them in the chest for clothes, San, with mine. Just as long as they don't get mixed up and I end up wearing a woman's yukata as a suikan." Toki laughed. San merely nodded and placed the clothes by her side.

Toki left for her home then, and San put away the hand-me-downs into the chest. He smiled at her gently and said, "Toki is nice, you'll see, and it looked like she really liked you, San." San smiled and nodded.

"I was surprised," she replied. "When she walked in."

"I could tell," he chuckled gently and pulled out, from the bottom of the chest, his mask and straw covering and pulled the red mask over his head and fastened the mouth covering, and then clipped the cape over his shoulders. San grabbed her fur and the daggers she used as Ashitaka collected his bow and arrows. "Come on," he smiled, though she couldn't see, but hear it in his voice. "Yakult's rearing to go."

* * *

Thanks to the reviewers on the last chapter! They were...

**The Madness Of My Life, BLISStheROGUE, ziggy-zee, whitifish, AuthorPOP, Wolf Melody, **and **WildWulfchild.**

Thanks for reading and please take the time to leave a quick review before leaving! (shamelessrhyme!)

**~Arlia'Devi**


	5. The Sacred Lake

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own The Princess Mononoke in any respect; all rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and associates. I make no money from this.

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

5. The Sacred Lake

San leant by the stable as Ashitaka gathered Yakult's saddle and reigns. "Calm down," he chuckled at the overexcited elk as he cried out and ran around the stable in excitement. Ashitaka managed to catch him eventually to put on the harness and latch on the saddle, before guiding him out climbing on. "Get on behind me – you can get under the cape, no one will see you then."

San climbed onto Yakult, who didn't budge as she settled behind Ashitaka, her body being concealed by the cape and straw-armour. Ashitaka clicked in his mouth and Yakult set out happily for the gates as San held onto Ashitaka's shoulders for balance. The elk trotted to the gates, and Ashitaka said hello to someone, probably the guard, and then not a few moments later when Yakult had broken into a sprint, San scooted forward and wrapped her arms around Ashitaka's waist.

Ashitaka pulled on the reigns and Yakult stopped for a moment while Ashitaka unbuckled his cape and dropped it to the wildflowers of the pastures. They were in the fields, with Iron Town in the distance. San shifted on the end of the saddle and Ashitaka clicked for Yakult to continue forward, which he did, jumping over fallen trees and puddles, enjoying stretching his legs. He climbed a tedious cliff face within the forest, meandering his way through the trees and stones before stopping at the scared lake to take a drink.

"Yakult brought us here?" Ashitaka muttered as the elk settled and the two climbed off. "To the Sacred Lake?"

San looked around then, sniffing the air. "My pack aren't around," she said with an almost sad tone to her voice. "They're probably watching though."

"Yakult!" Ashitaka called to the fleeting elk. "Where are you going?"

San laughed as the elk didn't heed his master's commands and continued walking away leisurely. "He's alright," she assured. "As long as he comes back to us." The elk disappeared, wandering into the foliage. San sighed into the fresh air. "He wants to stretch his legs."

"It's been a while since I've been here, really," he sat down on the shore and tossed a pebble into the lake. "I stopped coming here when you… when I couldn't find you."

San smiled softly and took a seat by Ashitaka. "Do you like living in Iron Town, Ashitaka?"

He nodded. "I suppose I was like you – I had no where else to go besides Iron Town. At first, I thought Eboshi was terrible, I knew she was destroying the forest and killing these wolves – Kohroku told me of Eboshi before I met her, but she has redeeming qualities. I couldn't let you kill her that night; it would only provoke more killing. Those women, Toki and the other ladies who work the boilers for the Iron were all once prostitutes."

San frowned and muttered and drew in the ground, "What's that?"

"Women who sell their body for money," he replied stoically.

"Oh. That's bad?"

"I suppose it's not bad for some... It wouldn't be very nice for the women." He sighed then. "Besides, if it doesn't work out in Iron Town, we can always move away. I could build a nice hut out on a field and we could live there together."

San smiled. "You'd like me to live with you?"

"Of course," Ashitaka said with a smile. "Aren't you now?"

San laughed gently and leant against Ashitaka. "Besides," he murmured. "I'm sure Lady Eboshi won't want her best warrior to leave."

"You're so cocky," she replied in jest. "You're not even that good."

"Really?" Ashitaka said, grabbing his bow and quiver from beside him. "I'll hit that tree across the lake." He poised the bow and notched an arrow, moving to stand onto his knees. Letting the arrow fly, it whizzed across the top of the lake before embedding itself deep into the wood of the targeted tree. San laughed as Ashitaka gloated a little.

"The bow and arrow is such a coward's weapon," she replied with a giggle, fetching out her daggers. "A bow cannot be used in close battle, though a dagger can be used to slice and throw."

"Ah, well, why would you want to get too close to the attacker, there's more of a chance of getting wounded," replied Ashitaka.

Suddenly, he was thrown to his back, winding him completely. His bow and arrows were out of his grasp and cold stone was pressed to his neck. San loomed over him, straddling his thighs, his wrists arrested over his head and the cold blade of her dagger cutting into his throat. Ashitaka grinned then as San smirked. "Got you. Some warrior you are."

San's grip on his wrists wasn't great, and that was her downfall as Ashitaka moved one leg out and over her thigh, rolling her roughly onto her back. They tumbled closer to the shoreline as they did so, but soon it was Ashitaka looming over San her dagger tossed somewhere unreachable and Ashitaka's hand on the junction of her jaw and neck, not quite a hold of the neck, but more like a fierce caress, and San's eyes flashed. "You're holding back," he replied darkly and San wiggled under him. Out there, she knew the wolves were watching.

Then she asked him, his grip loosening as they'd finished their game of roughhouse, though his hand not leaving her neck entirely, "What did you do this morning?"

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Before you left," she murmured and looked away; looked to where the water was ebbing to the shore. "You did this," and then she leant up on the leverage he gave her body and pressed her lips to just under his cheek, to his jaw, the highest she could reach and then settled back on her elbows.

"Oh," he replied softly. "That's just what people do – people who mean a lot to other people, like the way we mean to each other. That's what we do to express it. Did it offend you?"

She shook her head. "No," she replied simply. "I just wanted to know what it meant."

He smiled and rolled off her, onto the cool land below. San rolled onto her elbows upon gathering her dagger again and said, "You must know how I feel, Ashitaka."

"How do you feel, San?" he asked in reply. Between her hands now she held his red hood.

"Cast out from your family. You will always be an Emishi warrior, while I will always be a wolf, in here," she touched her breast, where her heart beat underneath. "Though we are no longer either."

Ashitaka nodded. "We can only be what we are together." And then he sighed. "We understand each other; it's alright, even Yakult too. I wonder where he got to, anyway." Though it seemed both of them didn't really mind.

San smiled and simply closed her eyes, happy to doze in the warm sun by the lake when Ashitaka gasped and said, "Look, San."

San opened her eyes and followed the path to where Ashitaka was pointing and saw two Kodamas resting on the branch of a large tree, their heads teetering back and forth. She laughed.

* * *

Yakult had meandered back two hours later and they had gone back to the village. San had disappeared inside while Ashitaka got Yakult ready for the night, feeding him and making sure he had enough water. Toki wandered over a little while later with Maya in a sling, before it got too dark, but rushed in quickly when she arrived to San and Ashitaka by the fire and said, "Jigo's coming down the lane."

Ashitaka leapt to his feet and San scampered away, into the bedroom off the side. "Just stay in here a moment, San," he whispered and she nodded. "Stay quiet, he won't be here for very long."

Jigo entered not a moment after Ashitaka had closed the door, greeting Toki and the baby with a smile before turning on Ashitaka. "Feel like getting dinner before guard duty?"

He glanced to Toki before saying, "Sure."

"Great," replied Jigo, taking a swig from his ceramic water container that hung by his waist that probably didn't contain water. "Let's get going, the women have their change over at the boilers, I like watchin' em leave all sweaty and half-dressed."

Toki glared. "You're horrible, Jigo."

"And what are you doing here, anyway?" replied the monk. "You got a pot of tea on, I see. Why aren't you at your own hut?"

Toki frowned. "What's it to you, anyway? Kohroku is away, and so what, Yakult's a better warrior than you anyway."

"You're having this harpy and her babe staying in your hut, Ashitaka?" Jigo sneered. "With all that crying and whining? What a racket. You're insane."

"I am thankful you detest children so much," replied Toki. "That your horrible ways haven't been passed into the next generation."

Jigo frowned. "Whatever, Toki. Come on, Ashitaka – let's go get some grub."

Ashitaka offered an uneasy glance back to Toki who replied, "Go ahead, Ashitaka – I'll change Yakult's water and feed. Have a nice night – make sure you protect us, ne?"

Ashitaka nodded and he and Jigo exited the hut. After a few moments, San scuttled out from the bedroom.

"I recognise his voice," San said eventually as Toki got dinner and tea ready over the fire pit.

The woman nodded. "Jigo – the monk who hangs around for nothing good."

San said nothing for a moment before Toki handed her Maya and asked, "Can you hold her for a moment, San?"

The baby was thrust into San's hands before she could protest that she had not even seen a human infant until this morning let alone know how to hold one. Toki just told her to support the head, so San held her like she had seen Toki do, across the shoulder with a hand under her backside and one on her back. Toki smiled and said, "It feels natural, doesn't it?" San didn't know what to reply, so she said nothing. "You might even have your own one of those soon."

"Huh?" she frowned.

"With Ashitaka, silly," replied Toki. "Don't tell me you two haven't thought about that? I thought it was the whole reason you came back to each other – to be husband and wife." She waggled the wooden spoon as a threat.

"I don't know what you mean," San murmured and then jumped as Maya began to shuffle and cry.

"Oh shh, shh, shh," Toki soothed the fretting baby, taking it from San's relieved shoulder and settling down to feed her. The soup was ready and Toki served out a bowl for San while she breastfed.

_The whole reason you came back to each other – to be husband and wife._

* * *

There were many women in the mess halls, dancing and drinking too much. It was the kind of night Jigo liked the best and Ashitaka was only happy he had a reason to leave so early from the festivities. He could not do that before, however, for one, being introduced to a girl by her father who he did not know very well, who said, "My boy, this here is my daughter, Chiyo, she's turning seventeen this summer."

Chiyo was a very pretty young woman, and Jigo noticed this also as he sat beside Ashitaka. She had cheeks the colour of cherry blossoms and long, dark hair. Still, Ashitaka refused and Chiyo went running back to her friends, complaining that Ashitaka was still "hung up over that wolf girl!"

"She's right you know," Jigo sighed as Ashitaka got ready to leave for guard duty, resting his bow over his back and nudging on the quiver. "I ain't gonna say it again, I've said it enough these past few years. You'll wake up one day."

Ashitaka did not reply. He didn't need to. Lady Eboshi approached him and touched his shoulder softly as Ashitaka went to leave the mess hall. "A moment before you leave for duty," she said into the cool night air. Ashitaka stopped and the Lady said, "The guards said they say you leaving this afternoon on your elk with your armour on."

"He needed exercise," replied Ashitaka. "He doesn't like to be cooped up in the rain, and neither do I."

"I see," Lady Eboshi muttered. "Well, that wasn't what I wanted to ask of you, anyway, I was merely curious… you see," she frowned then. "There have been sights of those wolves around the parts – the cubs of Moro. There's been no sighting of San."

Ashitaka nodded. "You seemed to know the wolves more than anyone," she said softly. "I need to know if Iron Town would be safe from their attack. We no longer make weapons, or harm the forest, but still I fear and I have this one arm to be a reminder. We mean them no harm any longer, I would hate for the children since to suffer for what we have done in the past."

Ashitaka nodded. "That is a noble wish. And what about San?"

"I know nothing of her," Lady Eboshi replied.

"And what if she wants to return? If she wants to be with me?"

Lady Eboshi faltered for a moment, her eyes looking back into the mess hall. "You would leave Iron Town if we would not accommodate her, wouldn't you?"

Ashitaka stood rigidly. "Yes," he replied stoically.

Lady Eboshi sighed then, a long, forlorn sigh. "We would not want to lose you, Ashitaka," she replied eventually. "But should the girl ever come, she should come to me." She turned back to the mess hall. "And should she ever come back, Ashitaka, you know these people despise her. Maybe it is my fault they all feel that way, but it will be hard to change their minds."

"I don't care what other people think of her," Ashitaka replied. "I only wanted to know if she could have a place within this village."

"Then consider your question answered," Eboshi replied. "Go now; change the guard before the stew gets cold."

Ashitaka left.

* * *

Thanks to the reviewers last week who were:

**ziggy-zee, WildWulfchild** and **TheElectricEngineer **

Thank you and please take the time to leave a quick review before you leave!

**~ Arlia'Devi**


	6. Home

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own The Princess Mononoke in any respect; all rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and associates. I make no money from this.

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

6. Home

Ashitaka arrived back at the hut from guard duty late at night. He was surprised to find Toki back in her hut, upon strolling past it on the way home. Still, he was not worried about San, but there was a definite surge in his step as he got closer to the hut and stable. Yakult was dozing in the corner, his feet folded under his body. He awoke when someone approached, but Ashitaka calmed the elk, assuring it was only him heading home. Yakult settled back down.

Toki had banked the fire before she left, and on the cooler coals was a small wrapping of roll, which Ashitaka ate as he slipped off his boots and hung his quiver on the wall. He nudged open the shoji screen to his bedroom, finding San sleeping on the floor and then closed it again before getting back to undressing.

He washed his face in a bowl of water and ate a little bit of soup that was left over, pulling off a heavy haori and staying in a lighter kosode and slacks. He sighed and fixed down the door to the hut for the night.

"Ashitaka," he turned around at his voice from the woman leaning on the door frame. San smiled softly at him, she had always been so timid when it came to people.

"You should go back to sleep," he replied. "I'm heading that way soon. How was Toki?"

"Good," she nodded. "Was your dinner nice?"

"Toki's cooking is much better," he replied with a small smile, approaching her. "I'm sorry, but it would have been a disaster if Jigo saw you here. He would tell everyone in the village in a matter of moments." San nodded, and Ashitaka knew she understood.

"He doesn't think well of me," she said eventually.

"They don't really know you."

Then San frowned. "I don't care what they think of me!" and then she hid her head in her hands and it was evident that somewhere deep down, she really did care what the people of Iron Town thought of her.

Gently, Ashitaka gathered her into his arms and said, "I know, San," and she shivered against him. "But Toki likes you," he hushed. "Come now, we should get some rest."

"Wait," she fisted his kosode. "Ashitaka. Toki told me some things… things she thinks I should know."

"Oh yeah?' he asked. "And what was that?"

"You told me today that we were special to each other," she murmured against his neck. "That you wanted me to live with you. Ashitaka… that means something doesn't it?"

He smiled gently. "Yes."

He felt her hands run up his back and said, "Come on San." She followed him into the room and Ashitaka pulled back the covers of his futon before folding some clean clothes back in the chest. The air was heavy and there was still much to talk about, but Ashitaka wasn't sure if he should mention the conversation with Eboshi or not. San settled on the floor of the hut before Ashitaka said, "You can sleep here with me," and gestured to the futon.

San scooted forward a little, but then hesitated. "It's alright?"

"It's what people like us do."

San nodded and slipped onto the bedding beside Ashitaka, but couldn't bring herself to look him in the eyes. Gently, she eased into the blankets, surprised at how comfortable the bedding was and at how warm Ashitaka's body was. Her brothers had told her humans like herself possessed and that they would never keep her very warm. True, Ashitaka did not have much hair, but his body was very warm under the blankets and San settled into his side. She didn't find it uncomfortable when Ashitaka snaked an arm underneath her and rested it on the small of her back. She simply leaned up and pressed her lips against the skin of his neck, because that's what people who felt the way they did, do.

Ashitaka woke up to San staring at him, and jumped. "San," he cried after getting over his shock. She was leaning above him, very much awake and had obviously been watching him doze for quite a while. He smiled a little awkwardly with an arm still wrapped around her waist and her body snugly pressed against his side and said, "Have you been awake for very long?"

"No," she replied. A strand of hair fell from behind her ear, and Ashitaka moved a hand up to tuck it back neatly. Without the sleeve, San could see the large spiral scar over his hand and arm and touched it softly.

He cupped her cheek with a calloused hand – calloused from elk riding and arrow-shooting, but she didn't mind the roughness as the tip of her fingers traced around the scar, wondering if maybe just by touching it, the markings would go away. "I should grow my hair out like a woman, shouldn't I?"

"No," he replied, swept a few fingers into the cropped haircut by her temple. "I like it like that. It's wild."

San smiled gently. "It's the hair of the wolf."

"And the markings on your cheeks," he smiled and moved his fingers down to caress her cheek. "I liked those." He laughed and touched the ivory earrings that hung from her earlobes. "I like these too."

San touched the earrings gently and said, "These were made out of the bones of Grandfather-Wolf, my mother's father." They felt smooth and cold to the touch. She shook her head then and shifted against him. "I don't understand, Ashitaka."

"What don't you understand?" he asked gently, the sunlight streaming through the window.

"Toki is such a… normal woman," San replied, her eyes dropping to the futon then. "I don't know about anything living like this."

Ashitaka smiled gently. "It doesn't matter to me."

"How can you keep saying that?" she huffed. "I don't know anything, Ashitaka. I don't know how to speak to the people here; I don't know how to walk with these people. They won't accept me, Ashitaka, I know they won't! I belong with wolves – I should just go back!"

"No!" Ashitaka bit out, grabbing San roughly by the arm as she tried to wriggle her way out of the futon. His other hand stayed around her waist. "San, stop it!"

"This was a mistake," she murmured.

"No, San, look at me," his hand moved to her jaw and turned her head. San looked defiantly at the man. "You can't just run away." Her gaze didn't soften and her lips pursed. "I won't let you."

"You'll keep me miserable here?"

"You aren't miserable, San," he gritted, shuffling to sit up on the futon and drag the girl against him. "Tell me you're miserable living with me – tell me you don't want to see me again. In the eyes! And then I will let you go."

San looked up, her cheeks red and her gaze fiery. From her jaw, Ashitaka's hand moved to bury itself in her hair as he yanked her closer. San remained silent, her gaze still hard and unyielding, like a ferocious beast. She remained silent and stayed silent when Ashitaka pressed his lips against hers.

San grunted against him and twisted her fists into his kosode, attempting to push him off of her. Ashitaka lingered however – San would always fight, but he was the stubborn type, and neither of them would get their way easily. Ashitaka pressed San's lips harder against his and began working them slowly until he heard her whimper and attempt to ape his movements, her hands slithering up Ashitaka's neck.

He gentled his movements and San closed her eyes and sighed gently, her form relaxing slightly. She'd never experienced anything like this, but she'd found that she was experiencing new things all the time since meeting Ashitaka. This… this was a strange feeling she couldn't describe, but it felt instinctual, and she could trust her instincts. As Ashitaka's lips began to move over hers, he gentled the embrace until it felt like he was guiding her – teaching her how to kiss, and his embrace loosening until she was free to break away if she wanted to, but that was just it – she didn't want to break away. She didn't know what was happening, but she didn't care, and it couldn't have bad, because her heart was beginning to pound and her body get hot, and then Ashitaka leant back and almost in a daze she noticed the warmth gone from her lips and touched them gingerly.

"Why did you do that?" she demanded hotly.

He smiled gently. She was confused. Gently he ran his hand down from her cheek to her neck and said simply, "it's what people who feel like us do."

"How do we feel?" San shot.

He was about to answer then when a voice from outside called out, "Ashitaka!"

San froze in his arms and Ashitaka shuffled in the bed for a moment. "I'll only be a moment," he murmured and someone unrecognisable called out again – a woman's voice. San nodded and slipped out of his embrace.

Ashitaka pulled on his tunic and went to open the door, San stayed within the bedroom. Opening the door to his hut, a young woman, maybe fourteen – Ashitaka recognised her as to be going through the process of becoming a woman this spring her name was Chiyo. She was holding a bundle of fresh vegetables, the dirt still on some of the potato roots. Chiyo smiled and said, "These are from Lady Eboshi," and transferred the dirty vegetables into Ashitaka's hands before dusting down her pale pink yukata. "M'lady also wants to know if you'll go to boiler 3 today, the ladies were reporting a problem with it. Can you go and look at it?"

Ashitaka nodded and said, "Sure, after breakfast I'll come down."

Chiyo cocked her head to the side and said, "Oh you haven't eaten yet?" her lips turned up into a small smile. "I could make you something you know, Ashitaka – Mama says I have the best stew in Iron Town."

Ashitaka smiled tightly, but refused. "Sorry, I've got a lot on today, Chiyo. Maybe another time."

Chiyo nodded, not at all discouraged. "Sure, Ashitaka. I'll see you around, kay?"

"Okay." He closed the shoji and brought the vegetables inside as San slithered out of the bedroom, wearing a white _yukata_ that fell to the knee and was tied to the side with a small white _obi_. "Got some vegetables from Eboshi – she does it quite often. Want some breakfast?"

"Who was that girl?" San asked as Ashitaka began to wash the vegetables.

"A villager – Chiyo."

"She seemed to like you."

Ashitaka nodded but said nothing. San took a seat beside him, cross-legged. He put water on to boil and added rice once the water began to bubble and then added some Asian lettuces, and a few cut up pickles. San sat silently, it seemed like she was thinking but Ashitaka couldn't be sure. Eventually San said, "Are the women like that around you?"

Ashitaka turned to San and went, "Huh?"

"The women," she clarified while biting her lip a little. "They all want to do things for you – they all seem interested in you. Are they all like that?"

"Most," Ashitaka replied, stirring the pot.

"They want to be with you… like I am with you," she muttered. "They want to be your _wife_."

Ashitaka nodded. San asked, "Why… why don't you…?"

"I wanted you," Ashitaka replied simply, giving San a helping for breakfast.

"You waited for me?"

He shrugged like it wasn't that big of a deal. "I felt so strongly for you, San. I didn't want anyone else. I couldn't picture being happy with any other woman in Iron Town"

She remained silent for a moment, though she wasn't eating – just sat and remained silent. Eventually she said, "I never wanted anyone either. Except for Ashitaka. I don't know what that word… wife, means fully. You will tell me?"

"I'll show you," he smiled gently.

"It's like mate," San murmured, though it seemed to be to herself rather than directed at Ashitaka. "… But not like in a wolf's sense…"

Ashitaka smiled and ushered to San's food. "Eat. I have to get dressed and go attend to this boiler. People might come around, so stay alert. I'll let Yakult out into the fields while I'm gone as well." San's eyes dropped as she realised she would be alone again for most of the day. "We should go and see Lady Eboshi tomorrow – at least then you won't have to sit in the hut all day."

San nodded but said nothing. Ashitaka put down his empty bowl as San began to eat hers, scratched his head before going into the bedroom to get dressed for the day.

* * *

How adorable! Big thanks to those who reviewed last time - I've gotten some positive feedback from this little story, I wasn't sure if it was going to work out, or go down well, but I'm so pleased!

Thanks to,

**Hawkgirl230, 03-636 Ebullient Ancilla** and **Sokka2Me!**

Please take the time to leave a quick review!****

**~ Arlia'Devi**


	7. San's Contribution

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own The Princess Mononoke in any respect; all rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and associates. I make no money from this.

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

7. San's Contribution

Ashitaka pulled his shirt off, and rolled up the sleeves of his blue-sleeves to the elbows as he leant further into the boiler, as to not get grease all over them. He ignored the whistling and the coos of the girls behind him – the wenches who were on boiler duty that night. There was a small bolt that was loose, and Ashitaka grabbed a wrench and tightened it. He did a general inspection with a few other men, he'd learnt about the boilers when he'd helped rebuild Iron Town.

"Is it all fixed, Ashitaka?" a woman smiled saucily at him and Ashitaka merely chucked it off.

"Yes, it should be right to go – tell Lady Eboshi if there's anymore problems with it," he said and pulled his shirt back on.

"Now that you've fixed the boiler, Ashitaka – let's fix you some lunch, huh? Come on, Chiyo made the stew, it's the best in the village."

Chiyo, the young woman from the morning, was very happy Ashitaka had decided to join the women for lunch. Indeed, Chiyo's mother, Asa, worked in the boilers and sat by her daughter, eyeing Ashitaka. Chiyo's hair had been pinned in a certain way with a nice pin and a pretty dress that was not meant for the boilers. They talked of Chiyo's festival as a woman coming up soon, and how many men she had already rejected, and how many had eyes on her. Other women talked of Hisano's pregnancy and wagering whether it was a boy or a girl. Most said girl as Hisano already had a boy, and of course, the women would love more little girls to pick on the boys of the village.

Ashitaka ate his soup silently, smiled politely when addresses and answered, but remained to himself for most of the lunch hour. Eventually, the women went back to work on the boilers and Ashitaka took his leave.

He visited Toki next, after the newly back Kohroku said that Toki wanted to see him, and he entered there as Maya was being put to bed. "You wanted to see me?" he asked gently as the baby slept in her wicker crib.

"You know the wolves have been seen around the forest?" she said lowly.

"Yes," Ashitaka replied. "I know. Lady Eboshi told me."

"Kohroku doesn't want to do guard duty – he doesn't want to be eaten by them," she chuckled. "What a whimp."

"We're thinking of telling Lady Eboshi – I don't think San can stand being stifled in the hut. Tomorrow. You didn't tell your husband about San?"

Toki looked very offended and laughed, "Do you really think I could trust him with that big of a secret? Kami knows I barely knew I was pregnant with Maya before the entire Iron Town knew because of his loud mouth."

Ashitaka nodded and chuckled a little before Toki said rather seriously, "Chiyo's taken a liking to you, I've heard. A rather big one."

"I've noticed," he murmured. "Chiyo's barely fourteen. There are many men closer to her age."

"True, you're almost twenty, Ashitaka – maybe they feel sorry because you're not married yet," she whispered softly. "But you're totally cute too. I suppose you are married now, though – to San, huh?"

Ashitaka nodded and said, "Yeah," and blushed a little, clamming up and getting shy like he was seventeen again. Toki laughed. Maya began to cry and it was getting late in the afternoon, so Ashitaka took his leave from Toki's house and headed back to the hut.

He called Yakult in, who hesitated for a moment out in the field. The sun was setting down low in the horizon and the elk looked back out into the forest before cantering up the hill and being petted by Ashitaka. He was given fresh feed and water before being locked back in his stall. Ashitaka brushed the elk down, getting a few burs and twigs out of his usually neat caramel fur. Yakult was rather calm, which calmed Ashitaka before he put away Yakult's brush and went inside the cabin.

"San?" he called when he found her not to be by the fire pit. It had died down considerably, and he stoked it for a while, wondering where she could have gotten to?

"Where did San go, Yakult?" Ashitaka asked as the fire was crackling inside. The elk shook and grunted a little, "In the forest?"

"Talking to your elk won't help. Don't-cha know he don't talk back, Ashitaka?" Jigo said with a chuckle as he bounded over from the gate to the hut. "He won't get that wolf girl of yours back. Huh," he commented as he noted Ashitaka's eyes search around. "You seem edgy, what's gotten into you?"

"Nothing," replied Ashitaka.

"Wanted to know if you wanted to head over to the mess halls for dinner tonight again," Jigo badgered. "Aki and Bem are wadgering on who can drink the most sake tonight – it should be a sight for sore eyes by the end of it."

"No thanks," Ashitaka said and then pretended to stifle a yawn. "I'm tired – I'll head in early."

"Fine," Jigo huffed, rather disappointed. "For such a young sprout you can be such a bore sometimes, Ashitaka. Don't you know the best cure for a wounded heart is the arms of many many women?" But the monk walked off the direction he'd come none-the-less and Ashitaka slipped into his hut, which was still very much empty. With a backward glance, Jigo shouted, "The spirit of the forest ain't gonna cure that curse, boy!"

Ashitaka stoked the fire and began to prepare a meal, checking in the bedroom in case San was asleep. Where could she have gotten to? For a moment he wondered if she had gone back to the wolves, maybe she had gotten sick of living in Iron Town – maybe she had realised she was really a wolf at heart and couldn't adapt to human life.

The rustle of the hut tatami door snapped Ashitaka out of his reverie and San slinked into the hut with a small smile. "Hey."

"Hey," he replied, a little dazed.

San offered the skinned rabbit she held in her hand. She was wearing her navy-cream tunic ensemble, her mask hung around her neck and the furs were pinned to her back. A dagger with a small tuft of rabbit fur was secured to her waist. "I got this – I went hunting." Ashitaka took the rabbit from her.

"So that's where you got to," he smiled as San took a seat beside him. Ashitaka began cutting into the rabbit, deboning the meat and adding it to the pot.

"I don't like sitting around here…," she mumbled.

"I would never expect you to."

"I was careful," she replied. "No one saw me!"

Ashitaka nodded and began stirring the soup.

"I saw my brothers," she said then when silence had fallen over the two. "I told them about you. About how happy I am with you." She smiled and kissed his cheek gently. "How you're teaching me things I've never known before." She paused for a moment and then added, lower, "My brothers said that if Lady Eboshi doesn't let me stay, we can live in the forest. You can become a part of our pack. We will live with the wolves. Yakult can come too. Yama promises not to eat him."

Ashitaka laughed. "Get the bowls?"

San went over and got the bowls from the china cabinet, rubbing a little dirt off with her fingers. With a large ladle, Ashitaka spooned the rabbit stew on top of a little rice in the bowls. San sniffed the food – it smelt lovely, gamey and full of herbs. Grabbing a pair of chopsticks, because she had quickly found that eating food that was hot did not bode well with her fingers, she began to eat.

"How are your brothers?" Ashitaka asked.

San swallowed and answered. "Well. Yama's mate Leri is with cubs, so she will be expecting them soon. On the end of spring, maybe. Toro is still looking for one. He has been very picky." She laughed then, like she was remembering an old joke. "They joked with me. They said I no longer smell like a wolf now that I live with humans."

"You never liked the smell of humans," he said. "You said we stunk."

"Iron Town does smell," she replied. "Well, it used to. It smelt of the ash of our forest when they burnt our trees, like blood. You smell different, Ashitaka, you smell of the mountains you came from, the flowers that bloomed on the cliff face and the herbs that grew in the area. I don't mind really… I know I will always be a wolf."

"We will go and see Lady Eboshi tomorrow morning," he said, taking another spoonful of the stew. "Maybe you should wear village clothes. Your mask might scare some of the men."

San ran her finger over the red porcelain of her mask. "You think so?"

"It's your war mask."

She laughed. "It always did give them a fright."

After putting the dishes away and banking the fire, Ashitaka pinned the tatami mat down and slid a dense shoji across the door, locking it for the night. Inside it was balmy and warm and San clipped off her furs and put them in the chest along with Ashitaka's jacket, so he was sitting in his pants and a light tunic, with a pair of socks covering his feet. San ran a hand through her hair, dislodging a small twig and throwing it into the fire.

"Feel like a bath?" Ashitaka asked as San slipped to sit beside him.

"No," she replied with a small shake of her head. "I bathed in the lakes of the forest. Do you? You smell of oil and ash."

Ashitaka laughed. "I suppose if I smell then, I should."

"Good."

"Are you going to wash my back?" he grinned as he unlocked the door and slid it open again. "If I'm going all the way to collect the water and boil it, I had better get a back rub."

San laughed.

* * *

Thanks to those people who reviewed last week:

**03-636 Ebullient Ancilla, G_Matt Guest DeathBeNoMore, WildWulfchild, DeMoNzMaGiCziggy-zee Sokka2Me, TheElectricEngineer, Hawkgirl230 **and** Wolf Melody.  
**

****Yay! And check out the new cover I whipped up quickly for the story; I just got sick of it being plain when I logged in, so voila! Things are getting interesting for our favourite couple. :)

Please take the time to leave a quick** review**!

**~ Arlia'Devi**


	8. A Wolf's Soul

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own The Princess Mononoke in any respect; all rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and associates. I make no money from this.

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

**8. A Wolf's Soul**

San had not said anything over breakfast, and since she had not even looked at Ashitaka since rolling out of bed, he didn't push the matter.

It seemed she was very hungry, or maybe she didn't know what to do, and she wanted her hands to stop fidgeting so she hand a bowl and chopsticks in her hand as she stared at the tatami mats. She chewed slowly and then swallowed and then stirred the rice and stew around in her bowl. Ashitaka ate his breakfast before pulling the clothes out of the trunk and pulling on a yellow tunic with a brown sash.

San said, "I want to wear my furs today. Is that okay?"

Ashitaka nodded but didn't say anything.

San frowned. "Why… won't you speak?"

"I'm worried," he replied. "You are too. For how this day will end."

San didn't say anything then, but looked back at her dish that was empty and then to her furs that were hanging on the clothesline across the hut. She pulled them down and got dressed. Ashitaka had gotten used to San's lack of modesty, which at first had gotten him a little flustered, but they were husband and wife now, at least in the mental sense – he didn't find it nearly as embarrassing now.

Ashitaka fixed a knot in San's breast wrappings, coming from behind her as the woman fidgeted to tie it herself.

"You have practise with these?" she giggled and the old San was back suddenly, smiling and joking with him. Worry did not become her.

"I used to tie Toki's when she was pregnant and her husband was away. You will find that many of the men around the village are a little lewdly inclined." She gasped and felt Ashitaka's chuckle vibrate from behind. "Don't slice out their eyeballs hastily." He pressed a gentle kiss to the nape of her neck.

San shivered and Ashitaka, growing bolder kissed her again, a little lower this time. She whispered his name and he slowly, carefully, slipped a hand down to touch her hip, which was wrapped. Before, she did not bother with such human conventions, simply wearing clothes to keep her warm. Her brothers or mother had not cared for her nakedness, it was nature. She had never had a problem running with clothes or without, her body was a body and there was no distinction between the two forms besides being a little chillier.

But now, with this man, what was he doing to her? There was something coiling within, a heat and her breathing was faltering and her heart was racing and she didn't know what to think!

Ashitaka kissed her shoulder, massaging small circles over San's hip. Her skin was smooth under his parted lips and she tasted sweet yet musky at the same time. But he had to be careful not to go too far. He didn't want to scare her or do something to question her trust in him. Besides the point, she was new to everything – to not only the intimacy, but human life in general. He would go slow with her, he'd have to teach her most things, but he didn't really mind – she was his San, and he'd wanted that responsibility and possessed the need to have her for so long, it didn't matter to him if it was hard, or if they thought sometimes. Then he'd said to her, "I want you to stay by my side, San."

She gasped and caught Ashitaka's other hand that was suddenly ghosting across her stomach. "I want to be with you, Ashitaka…," she murmured. "We can live in the forest – I'm sure my brother's won't mind. We'll make our own way."

He smiled as she turned in his arms and she giggled, "Then I can teach you how to be a wolf."

"What's so different being a wolf than like me?" he asked with a murmur and smile. "What do I have to know to become a wolf?"

San laughed then and said, "You must wear the fur of our GrandWolf Master's fur." She took her own pelt and strung it around Ashitaka's neck. "There. Hm, what else? A wolf is courageous and fierce, he is not afraid to die." Ashitaka puffed out his chest comically and San laughed. "A wolf cares for those who are special to him, those of his own pack and kin." Then San's eyes darkened a little, and her hand moved up to cup Ashitaka's cheek. "A wolf," she murmured, swallowing thickly. "Shall only take one mate for the degree of their lives."

Ashitaka nodded and said, "Would I make a good wolf even though I'm human?"

San nodded, her lips only inches from his, so much that he could feel the breath of her when she said, "You have a wolf's soul."

He kissed her hungrily and San was eager to reciprocate. While one hand fisted in his tunic, another one was buried into his hair. Ashitaka was keenly aware she was wearing very little when his arm circled around her waist, his hand tracing the curve of her spine.

She gasped and broke away, her eyes portraying equal amounts of being shocked and unsatisfied hunger. She was about to kiss him again, her hand still fisted in his suikan so he couldn't step back easily, when outside Yakult bleated and Ashitaka's attention turned to someone outside.

"I'll just go and check on Yakult," he whispered, ghosting another kiss across San's cheek before she dropped her hand and let him go.

She pulled on her clothes then and fixed her hair, fastening her fabric shoes. Ashitaka came back into the hut after a while, he said that he'd let Yakult out of the stable and he was grazing out in the fields. It had been a village man that had spooked him suddenly, but he'd offered a carrot from his load to the elk and he'd been munching on it when Ashitaka emerged.

"Sorry for scaring your elk like that, Ashitaka." The old man was frail and wore a straw hat. He was hunched over with knobbly limbs. His smile was warm and sincere.

"It's alright Nasu," Ashitaka petted the elk, who had calmed down instantly over getting his treat. He cast a gaze over to the vegetables and spices on the cart. "Is this stock for the mess hall?"

Nasu nodded. "Sure is. You wouldn't mind giving an old man a hand and letting me borrow your elk? Eboshi's taken all the horses on a trip across the forest."

Ashitaka's ears pricked up at that. "Eboshi's not in the village?"

"Not until tomorrow afternoon."

"And they're heading to Shinji?" Ashitaka let Yakult out of the stable and tied him to the cart.

"Yes," replied Nasu. "I'm quite certain. I may be old, but I'm sure I heard right."

Ashitaka nodded, "That's fine. I had some business with Eboshi, but it can last until tomorrow." Yakult began to drag the cart behind him, heading towards the storage rooms.

"Thanks again Ashitaka," Nasu waved goodbye as Yakult trotted forward, heading for the gates of the village to go grazing.

Ashitaka entered the hut and San was combing her hands through her hair. He said, "Lady Eboshi's left for a village over the forest."

San nodded and said, "What was wrong with Yakult?"

"He just wanted a carrot from a man's cart that was passing by," he shrugged and sat down, taking another bowl of stew from the pot. It was still nice and hot. "The old man said they were going to Shinji, but that they'll be back before tomorrow afternoon."

"That worries you?" San asked, running her fingers over the broken edges of her war mask.

"Yes," replied Ashitaka. "Shinji is over half a day's travel on horse, it's unrealistic that they will get there, do the business and get back before tomorrow afternoon. The only way they could do it was if they went through the forest."

San frowned and tensed a little. "The kodama have only just began to multiply," she murmured. "I don't want people who don't understand the forest walking on saplings trying to grow." She leapt to her feet then, grabbing her wolf fur and katana from a cabinet. "I'm sorry Ashitaka," she muttered in a hurry, tying her gear together before fastening her mask over her face. "I can't let them damage the forest, or walk onto sacred land they do not belong." She fastened the katana at her hip and said, "My brothers will kill anyone who gets too close to the den with Leri being so close to having cubs."

"It's alright, San," Ashitaka replied, bunking the fire for the day. "Keep a watch on them. I'm sure they need protecting from the forest more than the forest needs protecting from them if your brothers are out there."

San nodded. "Thank you Ashitaka." She hugged him gently. "I'll be back by nightfall. I'll bring a hunt back with me if you'd like?"

He nodded. "Watch out for Yakult too. I think he goes wandering sometimes."

San laughed, as if there was some strange secret between her and Yakult Ashitaka was missing out on. Then, she offered one last parting, sweet smile before she pulled down her mask and stealthily slipped out of the village.

* * *

Sorry for the wait - I've been uber busy and the laptop's broken, so you'll have to forgive me for the moment. Thanks a bunchload to those who have reviewed - we've past 50 reviews which is fantastic!

**Nullish, Cherry Shimono, BLISStheROGUE, DeathBeNoMore, Leon The Bulletproof, Guest, WildWulfchild, Sokka2Me, G-Matt** and **03-636 Ebullient Ancilla.**

Thank you! Remember to sign your reviews so I can properly thank you - there was an awesome review on the last chapter but it was a guest, so I couldn't thank them properly which I really hate! So remember to sign your reviews ya'll!

Also, I've had some people talk about the characterisation of San, rather positively, which is great! San's concept of modesty and social conventions are completely different to those in the village - i.e. that's why I didn't have her being embarrassed about nudity, as nudity and modesty is a social convention of the human condition, and lacking human interaction in her life, I just assumed it would be this way. I doubt anyone has a problem with that, but I just thought I'd let you know my reasoning behind the characterisation of San.

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please remember to take the time to leave a quick review!

**~ Arlia'Devi**


	9. Within the Forest

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own The Princess Mononoke in any respect; all rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and associates. I make no money from this.

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

**9. Within the Forest**

San bypassed Yakul who was grazing casually in the far fields, closer to the forest than the gates of Iron Town. San approached the elk and scratched under his chin affectionately. She asked him, "Have you seen Eboshi around?" The elk replied that he had, told her they had ventured into the forest – where they weren't supposed to go. Then he thought of carrots.

San slipped into the forest, picking up the stench of humans easily enough on the once sacred ground. There were six of them – she could smell it in the air and remained sliding through the treetops, out of sight.

Hidden by the foliage, it didn't take long to find Eboshi, Jigo and a handful of other men. However, it didn't take that long for Eboshi to suddenly notice a disturbance, and her hand suddenly rose to halt the movements of the others. Jigo, who was armed with a blade, touched it lightly at his hip, scanning the area. It seemed to San that they possessed no other weapons.

"Is that you, wolf girl?" Eboshi called out, her eyes running over the trees.

San remained silent. Beside her, a kodama appeared and waggled its head, clicking gently.

"What's that?" one of the men asked, suddenly distracted by a second kodama appearing on a branch across a small clearing.

"A kodama," Jigo replied, his hand falling back beside his hip.

"They're the spirits of the forest trees. They're a sign the forest is recovering." Eboshi murmured, ushering the group to move forward. "They're nothing to worry about – it's Moro's pups that still linger around these parts we need to look out for, otherwise we'll never make it to Shinji. The wolf princess is probably out here as well."

"Do you think they're watching us right now?" another man gulped. It seemed he was the coward.

"Probably," Jigo replied. "They have eyes everywhere in the forest."

"Let's see," Eboshi grinned and San suddenly leant in with a gasp, her feet on the high branch faltering for a moment, assuming the worst. Eboshi called out, "Little wolf girl, the mononoke princess! Ashitaka has been waiting patiently for you back in Iron Town. Why make him wait any longer?"

San shifted back within the tree, but the forest remained silent. Eboshi chuckled to herself then, more amused than anything before telling her group to move forward. The kodama that had appeared at San's side suddenly dropped to the forest floor, running after the group.

"They're showing them the way?" San muttered as she noticed the kodama point in the direction, running ahead to follow its mate. "I don't understand…"

San slinked off the tree, turning and then heading North-East to the wolf's den. Toro was out hunting, so Yama and his mate, Leri, who was swollen with a new litter of wolf spirit cubs, remained at her childhood home. San entered without making her presence known, but knew her brother's would smell her from a while away.

"Sister," Yama growled out, moving away from licking his mate's fur clean. Leri was a smaller female, just as old as Yama was and her fur was a caramel-white colour. Her eyes were the colour of the grass that grew along the cliff faces. The pregnant wolf settled down for a sleep. Outside there was a large cow carcase, stripped to the bone.

"Eboshi and a group of humans are being lead through the forest by the kodama," San stated, sitting down on the group of leaves scattered around the den. Her brother rested by his mate and regarded his sister.

"We do not interfere with the ways of the kodama," he replied. "I smelt them when they stepped onto our land. Toro went to investigate. He said the same thing, but could not make sense of it."

"The kodama are guiding them away from the heart of the forest," San muttered. "They are protecting the forest? I feel this sense… clarity. It's so strange, I haven't felt this in a long time."

Yama was relaxed. "It's calming. The air hasn't felt like this since before the humans came - before they destroyed our hillsides. Had the humans strayed from the path set by the kodama, the forest would go into revolt. It is almost like it's possible to co-exist with each other. Strange, isn't it?"

San said nothing but her attention was turned to Leri. "How are you feeling, sister?"

Leri shifted to acknowledge her strange sister's request. "The fields have not got enough cows to feed me."

"We have stayed away from your mate's red elk. He grazes on the edges of the forest and close to Iron Town. Toro said he has spoken with him, about what it was, I do not know."

"How long do you feel until you will have the cubs?" San asked Leri.

The wolf shrugged a little. "Days… _years_…"

"We cannot expect all the cubs to survive, but these times are more peaceful than when Toro and I were born," Yama muttered. "I hold hopes for a strong litter."

"My mate and I wish you well," San nodded.

"This mate of yours…," Leri asked then. "He is a human like yourself – a warrior lost from his own tribe?" San nodded.

Yama said, "You will bring him when the cubs are three days old, when you come to visit. Does he remain the man who gave our mother peace, he may be welcome. Should he do something uncouth to you, sister, and I will crush his head like a rotten tree log."

San nodded then, and smiled. Yama settled back down by his mate's side, his head resting on crossed paws. "He has not changed in the two years past," she murmured eventually. "I was worried that he would…"

Yama did not say anything for a moment, before he sat up and his ears swivelled around. "Your mate has come looking for you, San. His elk is by his side."

"Huh?" San peeked out the den, to the sun. "It's already into the afternoon."

"He's moving towards the lake." Yama said. "I smell him."

"So do I," San muttered.

Departing from the wolf's den, San followed the track through the trees. By the time she entered the ground of The Sacred Lake, Ashitaka was resting on the banks with Yakul eating the grass at the base of a large, old tree. He noticed her as she landed in the clearing, sitting up from his lay-about in the sun.

"Hello," she said, coming to sit by him.

"I thought you would have been back by now," he murmured, though she could tell he wasn't worried. "Did you find Eboshi? Were they going through the forest?"

San nodded. "Yes."

Ashitaka growled, "They have no right to step on this land." His hands tightened at his side.

"Ashitaka," San muttered, moving to touch his hand gently. "No, it was strange. I saw it, the kodama showed them the way."

"The kodama?" Ashitaka frowned, falling back into the grassy bank. He shielded his eyes from the sun with one hand as it filtered through the canopy.

San nestled into his side and said, "I know – I thought it was strange too," she whispered. "But the kodama showed them the way. I saw my brothers. They had noticed the humans enter the forest, but there was a sense of tranquillity. I could not sense hostility within the forest. It was a strange feeling, but the kodama showed them the way. Had they stepped off the path given and onto sacred land, my brothers would have known."

Ashitaka was silent for a moment before he concurred, "That makes sense."

San sighed against his side as Ashitaka wrapped an arm around her. "Are you hungry?" she asked, noticing it was around lunchtime.

"Sure, do you want to head back and cook something?"

San shook her head before getting to her feet. Holding her hand out for Ashitaka, she said, "Here, I'll show you something."

Ashitaka got to his feet and began following San into the forest at a leisurely pace. She clicked her tongue for Yakul to follow, and the elk bounded eagerly behind Ashitaka as they disappeared into the foliage.

"Yakul is being quite a nuisance around here," San laughed and scratched the elk's chin, though by her tone it was evident she was only being playful. "He merges with the spirit-deer herd when they graze the fields looking for the yellow mushrooms that grow. They don't like sharing with elk. He thinks it's funny."

"Yakul," Ashitaka chuckled. Yakul whinned and ran forward a little. "Where are we going, San?"

"Getting food," she replied, slipping under a tree branch before parting a curtain of falling vines, revealing a large patch of berry bushes with large, succulent purple fruits hanging off in bunches. She took one off the branch and bit into it; a sweet sticky nectar oozing from its flesh and dripping down her lips. San offered one to Ashitaka.

"Try it. It's good. Promise."

Ashitaka bit into the fruit, spitting out the pit as he did so. Yakul had found mushrooms in the shadowy root holes of a nearby tree. The fruits were sweet, but the flesh was firm, not soft – just right. The bushes around were plentiful, with fruit rotting and fermenting on the ground there was so much for the taking. Some birds and insects had eaten some, so San picked off a dozen fruits untouched to take back to Iron Town.

"Do you like them?" she asked. "They're called Jaraberries. I always used to come here when I was small. Toro would bring me here. The wolves don't like the fruits, but I do."

"They're good," he replied and gazed over to where Yakul was trying to fish out a mushroom hidden deep under the tree. "You know all these secret places, don't you, in the forest?"

San laughed and tipped the fruits into Ashitaka's red hood. "All good wolves do."

* * *

Thanks to those people who reviewed the last chapter,

**03-636 Ebullient Ancilla, Liyah, Kuromu, eatyourdumplings, Cherry Shimono, Sokka2Me, Leon The Bulletproof** and** G-Matt.**

Thank you all! Remember to leave a quick review before you go!

~ Arlia'Devi


	10. Village

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own The Princess Mononoke in any respect; all rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and associates. I make no money from this.

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

**10. Village**

"I'm nervous, Ashitaka," San hummed as she pulled on her clothes. She wore a simple cream tunic-dress that finished a little above her knees. It was a rather cold day, with the roads muddy and wet, so she had the fur of her ancestors pulled over her shoulders. Ashitaka also wore many layers and Yakul had been happy to remain in the warm, dry pen for the miserable day.

Today, they were going to see Eboshi.

"Don't be nervous, San," Ashitaka smiled gently. "There is nothing to be nervous about."

"You could lose everything because of me," she replied shaking her head. "Your home, Yakul's home."

"We would find another home," Ashitaka smiled gently. "Come now, put on your shoes. We should head to Eboshi's while she's still in."

San nodded and did as she was told while Ashitaka finished cleaning up breakfast. Once the pot was scrubbed out and left to dry, Ashitaka pulled on a grass-green tunic and fastened the ties to his fabric shoes before scratching his head and looking to San.

"Ready? We'll let Yakul out first," he murmured, stepping out of the hut as San followed.

San unclasped Yakul's pen and the elk wandered out, getting a little stratch on the nose and nuzzle from the wolf woman.

Ashitaka warned, "Don't stray too far, Yakul." And the elk grunted in acknowledgement before leisurely making his way out to the fields on a warm morning.

_It's such a beautiful day_, hummed Ashitaka as they walked into town. The sun was above the horizion now, around mid-morning but there was no breeze. A few clouds floated across the sky. Perhaps later, if everything went well, they could go swimming – maybe in the sacred lake. That would be nice.

"What if things don't go well?" San replied nervously as they walked into town. She possessed no mask, everyone would know it was her. All morning her gut had been churning and moaning like she'd eaten something foul. Breakfast tasted bland even though Ashitaka was a fine cook and she hadn't been able to sleep last night. "What if we can never return to the village."

"We'll take Yakul and I'm sure you know of a fine cavern we can live in for a while," he smiled earnestly and San believed him for a moment – maybe, just maybe, it would be alright. "You gave up living like a wolf to be with me, to learn all these new things. I think I can give up living like a human to be with you. We'd have a happy life, I think. Yakul would enjoy all the free space."

San nodded. "I'll teach you my ways," she replied. "So will my brothers."

"Come now," Ashitaka said, straightening up. "We're coming into the village. Just act calmly and walk – follow my lead."

San nodded and tried to stand straight and tall. She could see as they rounded a few larger huts all the people in the village centre. There were some buying rice, some talking. Some children were playing on the street and a group of mother's with their pups tied on their backs talking to one another. Then there were a few warriors, some had swords and San suddenly realised she'd left the dagger back at Ashitaka's hut – per his instruction.

"What if they attack me?" she asked gently, her eyes not moving from where the three samurai casually chatted and ate rice cakes.

"Stay calm," Ashitaka replied, looking forward. He wondered if there was another route they could go – to bypass the centre of the village and go the back way to Eboshi's without getting recognised. Of course, there was not.

They entered the main street calmly, San staying in step with Ashitaka as they walked. For a moment, they were not recognised and San thought that perhaps they would not recognise her, until the group of mothers with their pups turned to say hello to Ashitaka and saw San.

"It's the wolf girl!" A mother shrieked, stumbling backwards. Her baby began to wail loudly and the commotion got everybody's attention.

"Keep walking," Ashitaka said gently, gripping San's wrist and urging her to step forward. The women still looked on the girl with horror.

"The wolf girl?!" a samurai called, looking toward Ashitaka. "Halt! Ashitaka!"

Ashitaka continued to move as the samurai ran up and blocked his way. San noticed his hand resting on the hilt of his sword and began to growl very lowly.

"Out of my way, Ezo," Ashitaka said sternly. "She poses no threat. We're going to see Eboshi."

"Eboshi!" Ezo cried, eying San dangerously. "You think a savage like her can live in this village? Her wolves are probably surrounding us – ready to attack!"

"Shut your mouth! My brothers wouldn't feed on flesh as rancid as yours!" San screamed.

"Insolent girl!" Ezo drew his sword and Ashitaka quickly grasped San's hand tightly and dogged Ezo's swing. He was a bad samurai with a quick temper and was no match for Ashitaka's speed.

A few people had gone into hiding along with the three mothers. Children were crying inside huts as Ashitaka quickly ran down the main streets, ignoring the outcries of the villagers as San lagged behind him.

They stopped in front of two large guards, who eyed them suspiciously.

"Ashitaka-sama," the guard said but did not make the effort to move. "What is your purpose?"

"I want to speak with lady Eboshi," Ashitaka said and the guards moved past, silently watching as Ashitaka and his female companion walked through the doors of the grand hall and into the large foyer.

The foyer was large and empty, and San wrenched her hand out of Ashitaka's to cover her face.

"San," Ashitaka frowned.

"I knew it would be like this," she growled, her face masked by her hands. "I knew it, Ashitaka! I should never have come here!"

The man frowned and attempted to pry her fingers away from her face but she wouldn't budge. "You knew it would be like this – so did I. At least for the moment. But it won't be like that forever. You have friends."

"I hated their faces," she dropped her hands and turned to look at the ground. "When they saw me their faces went all twisted and contorted, between anger and fear. The others held their pups and screamed, like I was going to hurt them."

Ashitaka caught San's chin and turned her head toward him. Her eyes were puffy and there were stains running down her cheeks. She'd been crying.

"Don't let them get to you like that," he hushed gently, gathering San up into his arms. He was surprised when she allowed him to – he thought she would struggle, or try to break free, but she remained motionless with her head resting on his collarbone and her hands at her sides. "It's going to take a while, but they'll accept you. Toki likes you, and you have me…" he smiled gently and kissed her forehead.

San nodded and sighed, rubbing the tear streaks from her cheeks. Ashitaka dropped his hands. "Let me go in and see Eboshi for a moment. I'll call you to come in."

San nodded and took a seat on the raised platform as Ashitaka climbed the two steps, leaving their shoes by the door.

"I'll be back in a moment," he replied and disappeared into the large hut.

* * *

Thanks to the people who reviewed the last chapter! They were...

**Kilo 'E' Prowers, Ringleader, eff-eff-fanatic, Wolf-Maiden Mitsuki, Dddddd, , WildWulfchild, Pyrosan, ItsRagtime, Cherry Shimono, Sokka2Me** and** G-Matt.**

Thanks and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Please take the time to leave a quick **review**!

Next time: Ashitaka goes to see Eboshi, but will things go smoothly?

~ Arlia'Devi


	11. Eboshi

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own The Princess Mononoke in any respect; all rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and associates. I make no money from this.

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

**11. Eboshi**

Ashitaka entered Eboshi's quarters and found her sitting at a desk, writing an Iron tally. The ink on the brush moved fluidly as she wrote down symbols and stacked iron for packing. For a moment, she didn't notice Ashitaka and he revelled in the moment to watch her.

Eboshi's shoulder was bandaged as it usually was, still healing from Moro's bite which took her arm. She wore a soft pink kimono with a scarlet undershirt and green haori. Her hair was pinned back as it usually was. Eventually Ashitaka approached the middle of the room, her already being notified of her presence from a guard and bowed.

Eboshi looked up from her desk with surprise. "Ashitaka," she said slowly. "I wondered when you would show up."

"Forgive me, Lady Eboshi," he replied. "The few days have been trying, and you did leave for Shinji on the day I was going to see you. How did the trip go, if I may ask?"

Eboshi caught onto his tricks instantly. "Fine, thank you, Ashitaka." She put the brush down and asked, "So, what have you come to me for?"

Ashitaka replied, not beating around the bush, "San's back."

"Oh the wolf girl," she replied, and did not seem all that surprised at the announcement. "Is that her name? Yes, well, I was rather sure she would show up sooner or later. It's been two years, so I suppose it was later."

"She's mine. San is my wife."

"Really?" Eboshi replied with a chuckle. "My, the village women will be disappointed Ashitaka. Tell me, how was it? Did she bite you? Was it rough?"

Ashitaka frowned, "Don't play with me, Eboshi."

Eboshi laughed. "What do you want me to do, Ashitaka? What you're running is some sort of joke. The girl may live in Iron Town, but she'll _never_ be accepted by the people – even you know that." She smiled, but made no move to get up from behind the desk. "And if I told you she could not live here, I know you would leave as well and Iron Town just can't have that. You're the best young warrior – one hundred times better than the jokes they call samurais around here."

Eboshi shrugged then and gave a little sigh. "So what am I supposed to do? She can't work with the furnaces but she's quite a skilled fighter. Maybe she can join the watch like you, Ashitaka."

"Thank you," Ashitaka nodded. "That would suit."

"Tell me," Eboshi implored. "You believe this could work?"

"I do," replied Ashitaka. "San has much to learn, but she's willing and determined. Toki will teach her what women need to know. The rest I will help her with. I only ask she be treated with respect in the community. She is not, or will ever be a normal woman; there will always be a wolf inside her."

"I felt her in the forest going to Shinji. I know you know we walked through there," Eboshi replied. "And I apologise for deceiving you. She was there, wasn't she? Watching us?"

"Yes," Ashitaka nodded once.

"How long has she been in the village?"

"Two weeks."

Eboshi sighed like she had expected it all along and looked down to her tally. "And this is what you want?"

"It is," Ashitaka said confidently.

"Alright," Eboshi stood from behind her desk. She touched the shoulder of her amputated arm. "Her mother left a scar on me; a wolf will always bite – she is no exception. If the villagers treat her badly, then more fool them. I am not as foolish to make the same mistake twice." She moved towards the exit of her office. "Come now, where is she?"

* * *

San was in the foyer as Ashitaka talked in a room down the hall. She couldn't hear what was being said, and for once wished she was more like her brothers **instead** of having weak human ears. At least then she'd understand what was going on. She thought she'd be able to hear if Ashitaka was yelling, or if he and Eboshi were arguing, but she wasn't too sure.

Her hands were trembling where she sat and San looked down at her clothes – a blue yukata. They weren't her clothes; they weren't the clothes of the wolves. She didn't have her fur, or her mask, her dagger or spear… they were all back at Ashitaka's, hidden in a chest in the corner of his room.

This yukata was not hers - it fit her a little awkwardly and was too clean and uncomfortable. Her dress was old and worn, with patches mended where she'd ripped it on a branch or sharp rock. Her old dress was stained with the mud on the banks of the sacred lake, rubbed with the fur of her brothers, dripped on from the juice of the forest fruits as they ran down her chin. Her dresses smelt like her family, this yukata only smelt of human.

San sniffed and looked up. Outside, daylight filtered through the reed mat that hung in the doorway. She saw the shadows of the two men who guarded the entryway.

"She's waiting in the foyer," Ashitaka replied as Eboshi walked past him and out of her office.

Calmly Eboshi walked down the small hallway before coming to the foyer. Smoothing the reed matting out of her way, she stepped into the small greeting room at the front of the hut and frowned.

"There's no one here, Ashitaka," Eboshi replied as the man rounded his side.

"Huh?" he frowned, running past her and into the middle of the room. "San?" Her shoes had disappeared from the doorway. "She's gone!"

* * *

This chapter is super short, so I'm sorry about that, but I'd like to thank the people who reviewed the last chapter. They were:

**DeathBeNoMore, Naleastie, WhiteTiger, Have a Nice Dream, Aurora Shadowglen, Ringleader, bakasaru264, FlutterbyBella, Pyro, Sokka2Me, taskarrthetwisted, Leon The Bulletproof,** and** Kilo 'E' Prowers.**

****Thanks to all those guys! We're so close to 100 reviews? Can we make it? (yes we can!)

Promise to update very very soon.

~ Arlia'Devi


	12. The Right Choice

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own The Princess Mononoke in any respect; all rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and associates. I make no money from this.

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

**12. The Right Choice**

"Sister," Toro found San sitting on the edge of the sacred lake, staring into its depths. She smelt of many things, but more predominately she smelt of the human village. She smelt of water; she'd been bathing in the sacred lake and now sat on the banks nude. Carefully he approached her.

"Toro," San smiled and rubbed the jaw of her brother as he brushed his fur against her bare back.

"You'll fall sick," he rumbled. "Where are your furs?"

"I'm not allowed to wear them today," she replied gently. "And I couldn't stand to wear that human's clothes any longer."

Toro nodded and looked at the blue garment resting at the base of the tree. Gently, San rested on her brother's side, like she had done when they were smaller.

"Where is your mate, sister?"

She shook her head in his fur and murmured, "I have no mate."

"The boy from the village," he replied. "I forget his name."

"Good," she replied. "It doesn't matter anymore. I'm not going back."

For a moment Toro rested his head on his paws, looking out to the ripples on the sacred lake. He listened to his sister's sobs as she began crying into his fur. The day was so peaceful, only to be destroyed by the wolf girl's crying in the most serene place within the forest.

"Sister," Toro gently coaxed. "You should not give up so easily."

"You didn't see how they looked at me in the village, Toro!" she cried, anger boiling inside her. "They _hated_ me. They thought I was going to hurt their pups, and they tried to attack me as I stood by Ashitaka's side. I thought maybe he could help me, that it wouldn't be so hard if I was with him, but I was wrong."

"Humans are stubborn and stupid by nature," Toro rumbled back. "They live in large packs because they are scared. They make their weapons because they are frightened. They do not budge easily and they know your power sister; they know you are a wolf and they are afraid of that."

San sighed and stroked her brother's soft fur. "I was waiting for Ashitaka in a room while he spoke with Eboshi. Suddenly I just needed to get out. I couldn't stand being in the village any longer. It's a prison - surrounded by a giant fence. No wonder Ashitaka let's Yakul out – he knows how suffocating it is for a wild thing to be trapped like that."

"Do you feel suffocated?"

"Sometimes, yes," San replied.

"With your mate?"

San shook her head. "No, I can go as I please. I never feel that way, but in the centre of the village there were so many people and it was so loud. I couldn't breathe and I couldn't think. I think if I shouted, I wouldn't have even been able to hear my own voice."

Toro rolled onto his side so San lie across his stomach and back. "Then, sister, why do you and your mate stay? Live in the forest."

San shook her head and scratched her brother's ears gently, just in the spot she knew he liked. "There's more to being a human than I knew – more to being a human's mate than I thought," she sighed. "How to make food properly, how to make clothes to wear, growing vegetables and storing food for the winter."

"The forest will provide," Toro replied.

San shook her head. "We have gone hungry in the winters, Toro."

"You will learn all these things?"

"Yes," San nodded. "I will be taught these things by the village women – woman," she corrected herself.

"And raising pups…?"

"Eventually, I suppose."

"Your mate knows a lot?"

San nodded against her brother's fur. "Yes. He knows a lot about everything."

"I spoke with his elk not three days ago," said Toro. "I wanted to know how you were."

San nodded. "Yakul is very sweet."

"He told me you were struggling, but that his master was teaching you. He was being very patient and slowly you were learning and then he told me of the yellow mushrooms and asked if I had tried then," Toro laughed. "Stupid elk. I told him where he could get some more if he so pleased if he watched you. He agreed."

San didn't say anything for a moment, and then Toro asked. "Are you afraid, sister?"

San shot up. "I'm not afraid of anything!" she cried. Toro laughed.

"You say one thing, yet you smell opposite. You smell like a cow does before it dies, but even the cow is more accepting than you are at this moment."

"I do not," San grumbled, pushing herself off Toro's body and sitting back up. She looked towards Toro who was regarding her meaningfully. "I don't!" she emphasised with a huff. "I'm not afraid of anything, I'm just angry."

Toro laughed. "Humans mistake fear with anger so easily," he replied. "Perhaps you really are a human after all, San." San was about to reply, to yell at her brother that she would never be a human when the wolf stood on his feet and looked into the forest. "You should get dressed," he replied. "Your mate's coming."

"Ashitaka," San frowned, grabbing the yukata from the tree trunk. _He noticed I had gone, and he knew where I'd be…_

"I'll speak with you later," Toro murmured before slinking off into the foliage. San tied the obi around her waist and scratched her head. After a moment, out of the clearing, stumbled Ashitaka, panting hard. Yakul followed behind leisurely.

"San!" Ashitaka cried, running up to the girl. "I thought you'd left for good!"

San shook her head and looked at the ground, "No Ashitaka. I needed space."

"You just up and left," he said. "I was so worried."

"I didn't mean to worry you, Ashitaka," San shook her head and looked up to him. "I didn't. I was just…,"

"Just what?" he panted, out of breath.

"I was just… afraid," San replied gently. "I was afraid, so I ran. I'm sorry."

Ashitaka had caught his breath and Yakul was eating grass by the base of the tree. The sacred lake was calm and still, not even a ripple against the glassy surface.

San stepped closer to Ashitaka, putting her fists to his chest and looked out to the lake. His arms remained by his sides as San said, "I was afraid that I would never survive in that world. Being a wolf is the only thing I know, Ashitaka; it's the only thing I am good at."

"Are you staying out here, then?" he murmured. "I know your brother was here – there are wolf footprints everywhere."

San shook her head. "No," she replied into his collarbone, her breath tickling his skin for just a moment. "I want to stay with you," she looked up into his eyes. Ashitaka's hands touched her hips gently. "You are my mate," she whispered, "And I will stay with you."

"I want you to stay with me too," he offered her a small smile. "We'll find our own way, I promise."

San smiled, "Ashitaka…"

He brought her closer, a hand smoothing over her unmarked cheek. Gently he tilted her head up and pressed his lips to hers passionately, devouring her as her hands grabbed at his neck. She whimpered in the back of her throat as Ashitaka pulled her crushingly close.

Parting, San smiled weakly. "You mean so much to me, Ashitaka," she choked back a sob.

He smiled tenderly and took her hand. "Come on, let's go home."

San, lead by Ashitaka, walked out of the forest, walked away from her brothers, the sacred lake, the kodama and the sacred land and into the Town of Iron, holding Ashitaka's hand tightly as she locked eyes with Eboshi and a few village ladies. Ashitaka bowed and greeted them politely before they turned down the street in the direction of Ashitaka's small hut, Yakul trotting behind them.

* * *

I promised I'd update soon, and so I did. This chapter is a little longer than the last and I want to thank all those who reviewed the last chapter, pushing us past 100 reviews! Thanks everyone who comes back to read this! Thanks even more to the people who take the time to leave their thoughts before they go –

**RDF-73, Team , LeeshyLoo, Sokka2Me, Pyro, Naleastie, DeathBeNoMore, G-Matt, Wolf-Maiden Mitsuki, taskarrthetwisted, xxBECKEYxBOOxx, FlutterbyBella, Naleastie** and **WhiteTiger.**

Thanks so much to those who reviewed. Please remember to take the time before you leave!

Thanks

~ Arlia'Devi


	13. Skin

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own The Princess Mononoke in any respect; all rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and associates. I make no money from this.

**Warning**: this fanfic is now rated "**M**" and **this chapter contains a lemon**. If you are not comfortable reading such material, please be warned. It has been written to abide by this websites ratings guide.

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

**13. Skin**

"Do you want dinner?" Ashitaka asked with a small smile as he sparked the fire back up.

"Sure," San replied. "Do we have meat?"

"A little dried fish, if that's alright," he took the fillets out of the small dish and added them to the broth. Rice was also cooking on the embers. There were a few vegetables from the garden he added as San got undressed. For a long time she just sat in only her wrappings, sighing before getting up and taking a tunic – one of Ashitaka's old cream tunics that had been mended over one hundred times by Toki and slipped it over her body.

San sat beside him, leant against his body as Ashitaka stirred the broth slowly. It was nice to feel his warmth and to breathe in the scent of his skin. He slipped a hand around her waist as dinner cooked, and the poured them bowl a bowl full of soup and rice. The fish had a slightly salty taste, but it was nice and warm.

"We can go to the mess halls," Ashitaka said over dinner. "We don't have to cook every night."

"I don't know how I'd like someone else's cooking," she smiled gently. "Maybe we should go one night."

"It'll take some time, but I know the villagers will get used to you being around, San," he replied. "They're scared of you, is all, really – you did terrorise their village for a few years. And your brothers are scary."

San laughed a little. "Maybe," she smiled and set down her bowl. Scooting across the floor, she leant into Ashitaka's side.

"Tired?" he asked her, surprised when she rested her head on his shoulder. Usually San wasn't so touching.

"No," she shook her head and shrugged. Ashitaka left it and finished his dinner. When he had put the bowl down, San asked, "Ashitaka?"

"Hmm?" he hummed in reply, idly stirring the stew.

"If I'm your mate…," she said, turning her head to look up at him. "If I'm your _wife _well… why haven't we been together, as mates, Ashitaka?"

Ashitaka stopped stiring and placed the ladle on the ground. "I didn't want to ask something of you if you weren't ready."

"I thought for a while you didn't want me," she murmured, her eyes falling to the ground. "That you had changed your mind. You called me your mate to people, your wife – yet I knew I wasn't. That's why I came back, Ashitaka, I wanted to be with you." The wolf girl shook her head. "Do… do you want to be with me, too?"

Ashitaka's fingers hooked under San's chin and brought her head up, so that he could look into her eyes. "Of course I want you. I have only wanted you. I've waited for two years for you, San – when I finally had you, I didn't want to chase you away. I'm sorry you misunderstood my intentions; I never wanted you to feel that way… like, I didn't want you."

She smiled and nuzzled the cotton of his shirt. Stretching up, she took the lobe of his ear into her mouth; affectionately tugging on it with her teeth like a new pup would do to her brothers. Hearing a gasp and then a shudder, San smirked and began to lightly nibble down Ashitaka's jawline.

"Don't use your teeth," she heard him gasp out after a moment. His hands were fisted into the fabric around his knees and his eyes were closed tightly. Experimentally, San sucked on the flesh with her mouth, trailing kisses down Ashitaka's neck before pulling away.

"Like that?"

He nodded and relaxed for a moment. "Like that," he smiled and moved closer, taking up San's cheek into his hand and kissing her tenderly on the lips. He pulled her into his embrace, into his lap and soon the tenderness of the kiss was lost as something wound tight in Ashitaka's stomach.

San broke off the kiss, her eyes screwed shut and her hands holding back his shoulders. "I'm sorry, Ashitaka," she said in laboured pants. "I don't know what to do…" He saw in her eyes the instinctual response to flee, but her body was determined to stay.

"It's alright," he said, nuzzling her jaw. "I'll show you. Do you trust me?"

"Yes," she replied, with eyes screwed shut.

Ashitaka pulled back, lifting San to straddle his hips by tugging on her wrists. "Open your eyes, first," he said with a small smile, pushing back a stray strand of hair behind her ear. His other hand rested on the curve of San's waist.

She opened her eyes and smiled at Ashitaka – a small, shy smile, but a smile none-the-less. "Sorry." She felt her face getting hot and self-consciously pressed a hand to her cheek.

Ashitaka kissed her again. "Hold on a second," he said and San scrambled off his lap when he moved to bank the fire and close the door to the hut. It was still early in the evening. Yakul was in his stable off the house, eating feed.

San stood to her feet, watching Ashitaka clean up the house before he turned his attentions back to her. He opened the door towards his bedroom and stepped in, rolling out the futon. San felt her stomach tighten, and not in the good way. He offered her his hand and gingerly, San stepped forward and took it.

Sitting down on the futon, he urged her to sit over him, like before and Ashitaka smiled gently when her hair fell back over her ear. "We don't have to do this, not tonight," he assured to his nervous companion.

"No," San replied, shaking her head. "I _want_ to. I want to be your wife."

He smiled and kissed the corner of her mouth, moving his hands slowly up and down her back in soothing motions. Eventually, it seemed to work because San started to relax. Her muscles grew softer, instead of pulled taut, and her knees bent a little more so she was straddling him more comfortably. Ashitaka whispered sweet words into her ear, kissed her flesh delicately and savoured every moment bathed in the moonlight filtering in from a small window. San let out small gasps and whimpers as Ashitaka kissed down her throat.

He moved to take the cream tunic off of San's body, and she didn't seem to mind, freeing her arms from the material as Ashitaka dropped it to the side. With gentle hands, he pressed hers against his blue tunic, urging her to take it off.

With deft fingers, San complied, undoing the fastenings at the neck and removing the tunic from Ashitaka's body, revealing his shoulder and chest in the moonlight. Gently, he took up her hands.

"I don't think I've ever told you this yet," he smiled and kissed her palm gently. "But I love you, San."

Her reply was a small smile as she nuzzled his jaw. "Ashitaka," she sighed gently, affectionately into his skin.

"I promise to be gentle," he said, his hand sliding down to undo the wrappings around her body. She nodded and felt the garments fall away. She'd been naked beforehand, knew what it was like to be nude, but suddenly she had not realised what it meant; like this, it changed to be naked. Ashitaka was touching her arms, her shoulders, waist and hip; kissing her gently with restrained fervour. "We have all night, there's no need to rush."

"I want to learn," she murmured. "How to please my mate."

He shook his head with a small laugh. "You have a lifetime. Let me please you, first."

His hand that rested on San's hip trailed its way down the top of her thigh before moving in. A gasp hitched in her throat as she felt Ashitaka's ticklish touches mix in with something else – anticipation? She wanted something but she didn't know what but her body was burning and the places where she'd touched only once and been frightened at the sensation seemed to throb.

Slowly, Ashitaka dragged his hand closer, waiting for a sign of disapproval from his mate. Instead, a whimpering touched his ears and San grasped his shoulder's tightly. When he finally caressed the soft flesh gently with a finger, San gasped and her head fell onto his shoulder.

"Oh Ashitaka!" she all but moaned, her fingers digging into his shoulders. Another small stroke, a unintentional teasing and she arched into his hand. "Please, Ashitaka…"

He rubbed her gently in small circles, exploring as one hand rested between her thighs and the other traced her spine soothingly up and down her back. He kissed her gently, pushing her sweaty hair from her face, noting how her eyes darkened when his fingers returned to a slick but hardening nub of flesh. She began to shiver and shake, moaning into his ear and hugging his shoulders, even as her hips rolled and rocked against his hand.

"Please don't stop," she whispered, feeling something terrifyingly new surge into her stomach. Lust wasn't a foreign feeling – she'd felt blood lust before, but not this kind of lust. It was the kind of lust where all she wanted to do was surrender to Ashitaka, for him to bring her what she needed, whatever that was. "What's happening t-to me?"

He smirked a little, supporting her shaking legs by anchoring a hand to her thigh. "You'll like it, I promise. Just trust me, let yourself go with me."

She nodded and suddenly felt something building, and Ashitaka's hand speed up working her. She cried out for a second, shutting her eyes tightly to the sensation and grabbing a fist full of Ashitaka's hair. When something finally snapped, when her insides grew hot and she felt the insides of her thighs spasm euphorically, she howled into Ashitaka's shoulder, biting it as tremors of pleasure rocked her being. She didn't know what had happened, or understood it, only that it had felt very, _very_ good.

"San," Ashitaka whispered tenderly as the girl's teeth released his shoulder. He wiped his hand on an old tunic, before rolling her body over onto the futon. She looked dazed and dreamy. "San," Ashitaka chuckled gently, pushing the hair from her face. "Are you alright?"

She nodded and offered a watery smile. "Yes," she replied in a small, breathy voice. "I've never felt like that, Ashitaka."

He smiled. "Are you tired? Do you want to go to sleep?" he grabbed the blankets at the base of the futon.

San shook her head. "No," she said, cupping his cheeks. "You haven't made me yours yet. Please, Ashitaka – you made me feel so wonderful, I want to do the same for you."

Ashitaka released a shaky breath, dropping the covers back to where they lie.

* * *

Thanks to those reviewers who commented on the last chapter. They were:  
**Tan-she, Team , Sokka2Me, RDF-73, DeathBeNoMore, taskarrthetwisted, Naleastie** and** G-Matt.**

****I wanted to write a nice lemon with the couple, since they're hard to find in this fandom, so I hope I haven't crossed any lines here. Anyway, this story is now rated M because of it.

Please let me know what you thought!  
**~ Arlia'Devi**


	14. Mornings

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own The Princess Mononoke in any respect; all rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and associates. I make no money from this.

**Warning**: **this chapter contains a lemon**. If you are not comfortable reading such material, please skip ahead to the next chapter or close the window.

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

**14. Mornings**

Ashitaka held San as she slept – it was well into the morning and he'd been up for quite some time but he hadn't the will or tendency to move from their warm place on the futon. San was sleeping, exhausted from lasts night's activities, spooned against Ashitaka's nude body, hers equally as bare. Normally she didn't sleep in this late – up like a wolf at the break of dawn, and Ashitaka took the rarity as a moment to savour. His hand traced the curve of her hip and taut belly, defined from her time in the forest, always active, always running. She was muscle under her skin, though her breasts were soft under his hands, and she had ample fat there. San's thighs were well defined, lean and strong but the insides were still sensitive to the touch and delicate. He kissed her neck gently, careful not to stir her as his mind replayed the night before.

"_Please, Ashitaka – why are you hesitating?" she began to grow mad. "Don't you want me anymore? She went to get up, but Ashitaka caught her hand._

"_What?" he cried, shocked and stopped her fleeing before he could articulate a reply. "No, that's not it, San – that's never the case! I'm just concerned – Toki told me of when I took a wife, it would hurt them."_

_She stopped trying to leave and crossed her arms. "You think I am scared of a little pain?" she hissed. "You don't know me at all, Ashitaka."_

_He shook his head. "This isn't how I wanted it to go; I didn't want to offend you."_

"_You offend me when you hesitate," she whispered lying back down. "A wolf takes what he wants, a wolf is relentless, you're being too human, Ashitaka. Do not think I cannot take this. The sounds animals make in the spring is not new to me."_

"_I just wanted you to know," he replied._

"_I know," she offered him nod. "I do not need any sort of human convention of love, or when you express it to me," she touched his chest, feeling his heart beating underneath rapidly. "Your mating with me is all the word I need from you, Ashitaka. Wolves mate forever."_

_He understood then, and positioned his body between her legs. _

San groaned and turned her head backwards. "Ashitaka?" she squinted at him. "Is the sun up yet?"

"It has been for a while," he murmured into the skin of her neck, giving it a small kiss. "Don't be in such a rush – I'm comfortable here."

She turned back and sighed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her body had not ached this much in a long time, and there was a slight stinging between her legs as she moved – a quick stab of pain. She felt like she needed a bath, all sweaty and smelly, and yet, enjoyed the smell of Ashitaka over her – not the human smell, but a nice smell.

"Are you sore?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied honestly, shifting her hip slightly and feeling the same twinge again. She felt wet down there, and wondered why. Her fingertips explored, and blood was brought to her eyes.

Ashitaka saw the blood and gently covered the hand with his own, hiding it back down over her body. "Do you want breakfast? I should let Yakul out."

San nodded and Ashitaka's body was removed from hers. It was very cold in the room suddenly, and she grabbed the blankets closer to her body. "Ashitaka," she said softly as he was about to depart from the room.

The warrior looked back at San, but she was not looking at him. He followed her eyes to the cream futon, on which the fabric was streaked with stains of blood. The inside of her thigh was also covered in small cakes of blood. He nodded once and helped San to her feet. The two said nothing. Ashitaka gathered water from the lake and set the sheet in a bucket to soak as San dressed.

As the food cooked over the stove, they got dressed in loose fitting clothes. When he asked if she wanted him to heat any water for a bath, she said,  
"We should bathe, but there are springs in the forest," San smiled. "I want to bathe there. Yakul will like the run into the forest. We can dress properly after we bathe."

Ashitaka nodded and handed San an apple. She took a bite out of it, hungry, while Ashitaka wrapped some rice balls into a piece of fabric before tying it off. San threw on her dark underdress, folding the cream garment in her hands before following Ashitaka out. The day was warm already, and her lover gave her a gentle smile.

"Come on," he said, grabbing a piece of fruit himself before opening the door of the hut. Outside, Yakul cried enthusatically as his owner finally exited to free him. Laughing, Ashitaka calmed the elk.

"Calm down Yakul," he said, scratching his nose. "We're going into the forest. But be a gentle, San's not feeling well." He took the blanket and saddle and secured it to his eager steed. San spoke with him in whispered words as he saddled and reigned Yakul. She scratched behind his ears and laughed before Ashitaka mounted him and asked for San's hand to join him. She grasped his hand and he heaved her up, swinging her leg over so she sat in front of him. He saw her shoulders hunch in a wince.

"Gentle," he patted the steeds thigh as he began to walk out of the village.

"_I'll be gentle," he whispered softly as slowly he entered her. San gasped, her fingernails bit at his shoulders, and her hips rolled to take him more comfortably. It burnt as she stretched and San closed her eyes but Ashitaka didn't stop. The pain was something San had never felt before – it didn't feel like a cut or a gash, or a scraped knee or a sore muscle, it felt strange and painful at the same time. She grunted as there was suddenly a large twinge, like something snapped deep inside her and Ashitaka stopped moving._

"_Are you alright?" he asked gently, pushing the hair from her face._

_San nodded and swallowed thickly. "Fine."_

_Slowly, he began to withdraw and San arched her back as her legs became weak. Underneath the pain that she felt when again, he pushed back in, there was a twinge of pleasure – deep carnal pleasure she'd never felt before. She pulled him close with a hand over his back when again, he pulled out. A small whimper left her mouth that had nothing to do with pain._

_Ashitaka screwed his eyes shut as tremors vibrated through his body. It felt so immensely good, he didn't know how much longer he could last. San started to move under him, edging him closer with her groping hands. He rested his head on her shoulder, hearing San whimper and moan as he stifled a groan by biting his lip. His hips picked up momentum. Soon he had a rhythm, they were moving as one, heart beats synced and whimpers and moans filling the small room._

"_Ah!" Ashitaka cried, his eyes screwing shut. He allowed himself a few harder, fast pumps that made San buck and yelp, until he said, "Gomen, San. Gomen," before withdrawing._

_San frowned, and thought she heard Ashitaka say something. Suddenly he was gone and he was panting hard, his face contorted and his eyes screwed shut. Shaking the lust from her eyes, she was about to speak when she felt something warm and hot touch her hip, and looked down. Ashitaka's hand was wet, and the white liquid dripped down into a small puddle on her hip. _

_Catching his breath, Ashitaka looked to San. "Gomen, San," he whispered, kissing her gently before getting up and moving into the other room._

_San looked down and touched the sticky liquid on her hips. Suddenly Ashitaka came back in the room and knelt between her legs, a cool cloth cleaning up the mess._

"_Cold…," she murmured, the water eliciting goosebumps over her skin._

"_Sorry," he smiled apologetically._

"_It's alright," she replied, rolling onto her side as Ashitaka put the cloth back into the small ceramic washing bowl. "But I don't understand."_

_He smiled and rested behind her, kissing the soft skin of her neck gently. "Pups," he murmured gently, picking up the term she'd used before. "Unless you want to be like Toki before the end of the year."_

"_Oh," San muttered, her eyes fell. She felt warm and happy when Ashitaka's hand pulled her close to his body. Their bodies were suited for each other – the warrior princess and prince. "I understand, Ashitaka." She touched his hand gently with hers to let him know she wasn't upset._

"_You should get some sleep," he yawned. "It's late."_

"_You too," she nodded, closing her eyes. _

_For a long while, there wasn't a word between the two as they slowly drifted off to sleep. After a moment, however, Ashitaka nudged the shell of San's ear with his nose. "I just want to let you know," he murmured, "I know you have little need to hear it, but I do love you."  
_

"_You humans," San laughed gently. "I'll never understand."_

Eventually, Ashitaka came to realise that to San, actions spoke louder than words ever could. She found words cold and hollow, as meaningless as the breeze and just as easy to be blown away by a mild gust. When they came to the hot springs, it was in a secluded corner of the forest; far, far away from Iron Town.

The two pools were separated by a large rock, almost looking a little more man-made than anything else in the forest. "Did you make this?" asked Ashitaka. "It looks strangely unnatural."

"Maybe," San sauntered over towards the waters, pulling off her tunic and letting it fall on the ground. Ashitaka stood for a moment, entranced by the woman's figure walking nude in the sunlight. "It is said this spring was here since the dawn of time. Gods were said to bathe here, when they took on bodies and walked the earth. This side was for the male gods, and the other, for the female." She turned to him, a smile on her face. "Are you coming?"

"Sure am," he bounded towards her. Yakul huffed and went off in search of food as his master fumbled out of his clothes.

"The water is warmed from the hills to the east," she said, stepping into the warm waters. "I made my brothers take me here when it was cold. Monkeys come here too. Just to sit sometimes because they are cold."

"Monkeys do that in the mountains," Ashitaka replied, slipping in next to his mate. "To stay warm when it is snowing. It snows up there half the year."

San looked into the sky, resting her head on the soil. "I've never been out there. I suppose it wouldn't be much different than around here. Most humans are the same; the only thing I'd want to see would be the scenery, the animals and the spirits." She looked over to her mate. "The place where you're from, Ashitaka… you travelled quite some way."

He smiled and relaxed. "It was worth it."

"Even leaving your betrothed back in the village?" San asked.

Ashitaka shot up suddenly. "How did you know?"

San shrugged, "Yakul," she said like it was nothing really. "He really is a chatterbox you know."

Ashitaka laughed when San cracked a grin. "Yeah, I suppose he is."

For a long while, they sat silently in the pool. San had her head resting back, watching the trees above her and the play of the leaves in the canopy. Her hands moved in the water, pulling and pushing the water for her body to stay afloat. Ashitaka rested on a stone bench, his elbows on the dirt, his eyes closed and his body just soaking.

Suddenly, San said, "You know how you said if things did not work out, we would run into the forest?"

"Yes," Ashitaka hummed, not opening his eyes.

"I want to."

He cracked one eye open. "What?"

"I want to," she repeated. "Let's stay out here. Forever. The forest is mine, Ashitaka. It belongs to me and I belong to it." She shook her head. "I want to share it with you."

"You're a wild thing," he laughed. "I should have known better than to try to tame a wild thing."

San frowned. "I'm not some barbarian, Ashitaka!"

Ashitaka laughed and caught his wife's hand as she went to strike him. With a tug, she was in his arms. He planted a kiss against the shell of her ear. "I want to, too, San."

San blinked. "What?"

"Live out here," he smiled. "There's something about this place that draws me, like it draws you." He looked to her. "One day, we'll live out here. Together. I Promise."

* * *

If anyone knows where the quote 'Never try to tame a wild thing' is from, then kudos to you! I just finished reading the novella, and it was fantastic!

Thanks to those people who reviewed the last chapter. I was a little iffy writing a sex scene for this couple, but its nice readers think I've done them justice.

**Team Tahno. botdf, PicturesofUs102, Tan-she, nick, mcmissile, LeeshyLoo, Pyro, Naleasti, Sokka2Me, Leon The Bulletproof, RDF-73** and **G-Matt.**

Please leave a quick review before you go!

**~ Arlia'Devi**


	15. Friends

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own The Princess Mononoke in any respect; all rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and associates. I make no money from this.

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

**15. Friends**

Jigo watched from his place on a sunny patio, Ashitaka and San walk through the village three days after he'd taken her to see Eboshi. The girl had changed a lot, but in another sense, hadn't at all. She was tall and lean, her hair was short, but those red markings had disappeared off her cheeks. She almost looked like an ordinary woman as she followed what was said to be her husband through the streets.

Almost.

"I heard what you said so shut that mouth of yours," San growled, charging through a vegetable stand and taking the small, thin man by the neck of his robe. "Or it'll be the last words you ever say."

"She's out of control," one of the village women shrieked, scampering out of the way.

"She's as crazy as she was before," an old man tutted, glaring at Ashitaka. "Animals like her belong in the wild."

"San," Ashitaka pulled his wife off the stall man by the elbow.

"Let go of me, Ashitaka!" she cried, her eyes flashing red.

"Now, now," Jigo said, coming down from his perch to approach the scene unfolding on the streets. "Everyone, be a little more patient." Jigo looked to the vegetable stall man. Ashitaka seemed rather surprised and dropped San's arm. "Amaru, of course she's going to attack you when you say something like that. Her hearing is very sensitive." He looked to the woman. "If people stopped aggravating her, she wouldn't lash out." Jigo looked to Ashitaka, and then to San who had her teeth clenched tightly and was heaving rough breaths. _As wild as ever_, he noted and then said, "I'm sorry, Mononoke Princess. They don't know what they say."

San said nothing for a moment. The cold stone of her dagger pressed against her thigh and her mind travelled back to those fiery flashes of memory where she trespassed this very same village, her dagger outstretched, slicing at people who dared get in her way. Ashitaka's touch and voice suddenly pulled her out of the relapse.

"San, come on," he smiled at her gently and the wolf girl swallowed.

"I'm going to check on Yakul," San murmured, suddenly feeling horribly surrounded. She needed to get out.

"Alright," he nodded and offered her a smile. He squeezed her arm reasurringly before dropping it. San jumped onto the roof of a stall, making the owner yell and cover his head in fear. Jigo sighed.

"You didn't have to do that," Ashitaka said, coming to the monk's side. "But I'm glad you did."

Jigo huffed. "You're a real glutton for punishment, Ashitaka, ya know that don't ya?" the monk laughed. "That woman will never live like a human does. It's like trying to train a monkey to be a human – it might learn all the tricks, but it'll always still be a monkey. It'll scratch its arse and eat its shit wherever it is." He laughed heartily then.

Ashitaka sighed and paid his gold, exchanging it for some fresh vegetables and rice from the street stalls.

"So she's your wife, huh?"

"Yes," Ashitaka replied calmly.

"Good luck with that. You do her yet? She's as rough as she looks?" Jigo laughed. "Bet she likes to bite, doesn't she?"

Ashitaka deigned to comment.

"Aw come on Ashitaka, you're such a bore."

"Jigo," a harsh female voice made the monk cringe. Toki stalked up behind him. "Leave Ashitaka alone!" she hissed. "Geez, Jigo, you're such a disgrace."

He smiled and raised his hands to soothe Toki's temper. "I'm just a humble monk trying to make my way in the world, Toki. No need to be angry with me."

Toki huffed and said to Ashitaka. "I heard you went to Eboshi. San caused a lot of hassle in the streets, you know. Your name is ringing in everyone's ears."

"Oh I see… well, I suppose I'll just have let them talk," Ashitaka replied, ever the zen. "It won't faze me."

"But it obviously does faze San," Jigo countered, his eyes casting over to the battered stall owner who was rearranging his vegetables with shaking hands.

Ashitaka sighed and turned back to the stall owner. He handed him a small gold coin. "For your troubles," he replied.

"What happened?" Toki blinked and looked at the disarray. "Where's San?"

"In the forest to cool down," Ashitaka replied.

"Hot headed," Jigo agreed. "Although she's always been that way, especially with humans. She's always had a short fuse. Kami knows why Ashitaka is any different to her." He looked to the boy for an explanation.

Ashitaka only shrugged and sighed, a small smile playing on his face.

Toki said, "Listen Ashitaka – why don't you bring San around this afternoon? I could teach her some things if she's really going to be a wife. Easy things at first. It might be nice for her to have a girl to talk to for once – a friend other than you."

Ashitaka nodded. It did sound like a good idea. "I'll bring her around this afternoon. What about Maya?"

Toki laughed, "Her father's actually doing something for once and taking care of her."

Ashitaka nodded and Toki wandered off. The Emishi prince then turned towards the gate, intent on finding his wife.

He did, after about fifteen minutes, sitting on a small smooth rock beside Yakul as he grazed on the rich hills. She smiled shyly at him as he approached.

"I'm sorry, Ashitaka," San murmured, her head bowed low. "I'm not really doing myself any favours."

"It was as much the fruit sellers fault," Ashitaka replied, sitting down on the ground. "It's hard to change people's mind when they're that stubborn." He looked to the sky. It was a clear, beautiful day. "Look, not a cloud in the sky, San."

She looked up and analysed the skies. "It's so nice out here."

"Toki wanted to know if you wanted to visit her this afternoon," Ashitaka said. "She said she wanted to talk to you. I think she wants to help you adjust to life in the village."

San nodded. "I have a lot to learn, don't I?"

Ashitaka shrugged. "Maybe, but you have a lot of time to learn it."

San reclined back onto the grass, and looked up into the cloud-less sky. "What do I have to learn, Ashitaka, to be a good wife?"

Ashitaka rested by San, rolling onto his side to look down upon her. Her face was surrounded by grass, reminiscent of the time they'd given the forest god back his head. Ashitaka smiled gently and pushed a strand of hair out of San's eyes. "To be a good wife?" he smiled and pretended to think. "Nothing."

San frowned, annoyance flashing in her eyes. "What do you mean, Ashitaka?" she growled.

"I don't want you to learn things to be a better wife," he replied. "I want you to learn things that will help us. Things like mending clothes and harvesting fruit and cooking food. You can already do most of those things, but Toki will show you how to boil rice, how to make your clothes out of fabrics, and how to make a garden so we can have food year round." He smiled. "I don't want to try and 'mould you' into a good wife, San – I don't want a perfect wife, I want San."

San smiled and her features softened. "I can make furs for winter, but we always went hungry when the plants died and the cows moved on."

"I think Toki wants to be your friend as well," he replied.

"Toki?"

Ashitaka nodded. "She said to me she knows you must get sick of me."

San laughed. "Then I come out with Yakul."

"It would be nice if you had someone to talk to that was a woman," Ashitaka replied. "Women know things about being a woman that men don't. I think it would be nice. And Toki's like you as well, she's very tough and defiant." He smiled to his wife. "I think you'll like her a lot if you give her a chance."

San saw the honesty in her husband's eyes and nodded. "Alright. I'll go. There are some things I wish to know anyway. I want to know how to cook rice."

Ashitaka laughed and rested down beside his wife. "It takes years of practise, San. It's an art. Like sword fighting."

"You're not a very good swordsman though, Ashitaka," replied his wife and Ashitaka couldn't tell if she was teasing or being serious. Somehow he thought the latter. "I doubt it will take me as long as it took you. It doesn't look very difficult when you do it. Heat the water, add the rice."

"There's more to it than that!" he replied defiantly. San laughed.

* * *

Sorry about the long delay – but I'd like to thank those who reviewed the last chapter.

**RainMan, Nick, Pyro, Naleastie, Sokka2Me, Have a Nice Dream, and G-Matt. **

I've finished writing the story, and it ends about chapter 23, so watch this space for more updates!

As always, I'm overwhelmed by how popular this story has become. Also, please look out for a new Ashitaka/San lemon one-shot **"She Wolf**", published in the coming weeks! Thanks for all your support. Please take the time to leave a quick response about this chapter in the review box below.

**~ Arlia'Devi**


	16. Learning

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own The Princess Mononoke in any respect; all rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and associates. I make no money from this.

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

**16. Learning**

San arrived at Toki's house after lunch, dressed in her traditional wolf furs. She walked through the town, crossing the main business streets and had received some wary looks from many of the Iron Town citizens. She ignored them, as Ashitaka had suggested she do. San had left her dagger back at Ashitaka's, on his discretion it had been stored away for times she needed it, like hunting and the sort. San didn't worry so much, and gave a dirty look to the guard as he eyed her movements. She could cause quite enough damage with her bare hands.

"San!" Toki exclaimed as the wolf girl approached her hut. She was outside, tending to a small garden that looked healthy and bountiful. Toki dusted her hands off on a brown apron. "Come in, Maya is just sleeping. I'm so glad you decided to come." She entered the house and San followed her.

"I don't know enough to be a good wife to Ashitaka," San replied, sitting down with her legs folded. "Where do I begin?"

Toki laughed and checked on her sleeping baby. "That's a hard question, San," she replied. "Maybe we should start with what you know. There's a whole range that you could learn, but with time."

"I can hunt," San replied. "Fillet and debowel an animal."

Toki laughed. "Usually a man's job, but I like that. Get Ashitaka to hang out the washing." Toki gave a mischievous glance to the wolf girl. "See San, that's what people outside – in the world bigger than the forest, think of us as women, and that men are stronger and better than us in every way. But they're wrong. We can do whatever we set our minds to. Eboshi thinks the same, that's why she saved all us women from terrible situations and brings us here."

"I'm a lot stronger than Ashitaka," San commented off handily, not deigning to comment on Eboshi.

Toki sighed and looked to the fire. "Well," she said. "First I can teach you how to make a stew. I should get dinner ready, anyway."

San nodded and slid over to the human woman when she bought out a long knife and few vegetables and began cutting them into small slices, telling San what to keep and what to throw away, how to cut and peel a potato properly and the right times to add the vegetables to the stew.

"The potatoes take a little longer to cook, so we put them in first," she said. "We'll add some dried fish to taste. Ashitaka will probably have a whole heap of this stored away. It's good to store things like dried fish because it won't go rotten. You can always use fresh fish if you've caught some, but in the winter, dried fish is easiest."

San nodded and watched the pot boil and broth over the small fire.

"Try not to let your fire go out very often," Toki advised. "Unless you're going out. Especially in the winter, make sure you have enough firewood close at hand otherwise it will get cold very quickly. Especially for little ones."

Very soon the stew was done, and Toki removed it from the heat to sit in a hot water bath to keep warm. The baby began to fuss in her wicker basket, so the elder woman went over and picked her up, bouncing the baby slightly.

"I'll teach you how to sew your own clothes," Toki smiled. "My clothes are a little too big for you, and there's a satisfaction about making something yourself." She smiled.

"I know how to mend and repair," San muttered, looking down at her tattered dress. "I stole this from a village one day when I needed new clothes."

Toki smiled. "You won't have to steal anything with Ashitaka around – did he tell you he's loaded?"

"Loaded?" San frowned, confused at the wording.

"Rich – he's very rich. Well, not very rich, but he's certainly got enough to want but nothing."

San nodded, wondering what that meant. She'd never put much value on ideas like that – indeed, she'd never thought of something in value since Iron Town began working. Was this how the rest of the world thought, outside the forest?

"I have no need for materialistic values," she replied.

Toki smiled. "Maybe not, San, but you can't go around stealing things. I'll teach you tomorrow – come around again. Ask your Ashitaka to teach you things, has he already?"

San nodded and said, "Rice."

"Ah, good," Toki nodded and then cleared her throat a little. "Listen, San, I know we're both very different, but we're both women. There are some things women cannot talk about to men, so I just want you to know that you can talk about them to me. Maybe I can tell you about some things I know…"

"Ashitaka said this before," San replied. "I do not understand. I told my brothers everything, and they were males. I tell Ashitaka things, yet he is a male. What things should I speak of with women I do not with males?"

"Pregnancy," she replied. "Do you…," she hesitated for a moment. "Bleed once a moon, San?"

"Is that important?" asked the wolf girl inquisitively. "My brother's hated the smell. It was easy to wash away."

Toki nodded. "It means you're a woman – that you can have children and be a mother."

San grunted and stood up. "I want to leave now," she said a little roughly. Toki took it gently and nodded.

"Come back whenever you like, San," she said. "You're welcome in my house."

San looked at the ground as she stood at the doorway, the reed mat fixed above her head. Not knowing what to say, she merely nodded and disappeared.

Toki sighed and sat down with her baby, rocking the child gently. "Perhaps it was too soon," she hummed to Maya, who gurgled in response.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ashitaka was out in the village, helping an older man with cultivating his garden. Toiling away in the sun, he didn't notice Jigo's appearance until the monk hollered out his name.

"Ashitaka!"

Ashitaka dropped the hoe and wiped the sweat off his bow before taking a swig of a water canister offered by Jigo.

"That's thirsty work – you look like you could use a break."

"Sure," Ashitaka sighed, taking a seat under the shade of a tree. The monk followed him, sighing as he descended onto his rear. For a long time, they just sat and watched the foot traffic past.

"It must be difficult for her," Jigo said softly. Ashitaka turned to him. "I saw her walking through the village this morning. She's going to Toki's right?"

Ashitaka nodded and took another swig of his water.

"Human life – eh?" he chuckled. "She must really love you."

"Must," Ashitaka replied through a tight lip.

"Aw, what?" Jigo pouted. "What have I done wrong, Ashitaka? You're all tense."

The man sighed and stretched his back.

"Nothing," he replied earnestly. "You've done nothing wrong. It's just that sometimes I wonder if it's equal between us – she's giving up a lot for me, and I'm not changing anything for her. I don't feel like there is a balance between us anymore." He sighed.

Jigo understood and nodded solemnly. "what can you do about that? She's always been human."

Ashitaka shook his head. "No," he said. "Eboshi said when the spirit of the Forest died, San would become human again, but that's not the case. She's not a human. She's not a wolf either. She's something in-between."

Jigo sighed and rested his head back against the tree trunk.

"Well," he muttered. "Whatever she is, Ashitaka, you're going to have to let her figure it out."

* * *

Thanks to those who reviewed last week – we're past 150 reviews which is so exciting! Thanks for everyone's support.

YAY I'm so happy to hear that this story is completely finished now its all in awaiting for the updates. Only 13 more chapters left. This saddens me but you've done a great job as an author and I'm sure it will be fantastic.

**Nick, DeathBeNoMore, G-Matt, Sokka2Me, Pyro **and **Leon The Bulletproof**.

This fanfiction finishes at chapter 20, I can say officially, as I have written 'The End', at the end of chapter document. I realise I may have promised a few more chapters, but honestly, I've run out of things to write about.

In the meantime between updates, I'd be super grateful if you checked out my new Ashitaka and San story, "**She Wolf**" on my profile. It's got a lemon in it, and it's two-shot. I'd be grateful if you gave it a quick squiz. :)

Please remember to drop a **review** before you go!

**~ Arlia'Devi**


	17. Magic

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own The Princess Mononoke in any respect; all rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and associates. I make no money from this.

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

**17. Magic**

While the residents of Iron Town were sleeping peacefully, or just rising with the early sun to set up shop for the day, a young man dressed in robes approached the barricaded island town. His robes were black and purple, and he had a shaven head and a youthful face. Anyone could tell by his staff he carried, he was a monk. It jingled softly with each step he took.

Jigo was walking around the markets early in the morning. Iron Town was always busy, but in the morning it was the busiest. Still, he didn't mind the crowds – Iron Town was small, unlike the bigger towns like Shinji or Edo, even.

In the past week or so, since the incident with San at the markets, things had quietened down quite considerably. Still, he heard the talk over dinner of the wolf that lived among them, but ignored it. He had not seen San since, which didn't surprise him as the wolf girl was very stealthy at times but had seen Ashitaka many times since. In fact, Jigo thought he spotted a certain young man's blue-covered backside as he bent down to gather a few cups of rice.

"You're the wife _and_ the husband," Jigo joked to Ashitaka as he paid the rice trader a small amount of money.

"Hello Jigo," Ashitaka greeted, ever the polite man.

"Where's your woman at, Ashitaka?" he asked, searching the rooftops in case she was hiding up there.

"Home, I believe," he replied, causally strolling along the markets and browsing fresh produce.

"Hmmm," the monk let out an uneasy grumble. "How is she coping? You know, with all this?"

Ashitaka sighed. "As well as anyone could hope she is coping." He laughed nervously. "Well, she hasn't left me yet, so that's a good thing."

Jigo sighed and shook his head. He'd had trouble believing all this had happened in such a short week. He'd been teasing Ashitaka about growing old a virgin, and suddenly the next morning he'd seen the wolf princess walking down the street by his side. Yet, the Emishi Prince looked happy – happier than ever in the past two years.

"I 'spose, kid," Jigo said with a soft smile. "Since you got that curse removed, you gotta really live, huh? I'm happy for you, anyways."

Ashitaka smiled and dug in his coin pouch to pay the vegetable tender for a bunch of carrots. "Thank you. That means a lot to me."

A sudden rush of people pushed past Ashitaka and Jigo then, heading towards the gates. There was a flurry of women, hurrying down the path in bare feet and men, ushering down what seemed to be a visiting monk who already had a large congregation around him.

"A monk," Ashitaka commented absentmindedly, turning to leisurely check out what was happening down by the gate. Jigo followed also, curious.

"Any sort of demons have no chance of plundering the village with these sutras," the monk called, flashing a large wad of inked sutras. "And they're a bargain! Tell me, have you any problems with spirits or demons?"

A woman stepped forward, large and angry-looking. "Yeah," she called. "We got a problems with a group of spirit wolves, one of them lives in the village."

"Spirit wolves you say?" chuckled the monk, handing the woman a sutra. "This should solve your problems. And only for five coins. No wolf will want to get anywhere near the village if you have this on."

Ashitaka pushed through the group so he was standing beside the woman with the sutras, who was currently oblivious to his presence. A few other villagers saw him and backed away.

Calmly, Ashitaka took the sutra from the woman's fingers.

"A-Ashitaka!" she cried and jumped a little as he handed the sutra to Jigo. "D-Don't take it personally. I'm only trying to protect my family! She shouldn't have been let into the village to begin with."

Jigo took the sutra and tore it up. The monk gasped.

"The wolf she speaks of that inhabits our village is a human woman," said Jigo to the monk. "These sutras may work on her brothers, but not her. They are not particularly powerful, either."

"She's a girl raised by the wolves," an old man stumbled forward and educated the monk. "She was abandoned as a child and raised by the wolf goddess Moro, and her brothers are fierce. Now she is that man's wife." He pointed to Ashitaka. "He's a sweet boy."

Ashitaka sighed. He was thankful San was still at home and not witness to the commotion. "I travelled to this village to see with eyes unclouded by hate. Some days, I wish to switch eyes with some of you for then you may see how much your hate hurts San."

The woman stepped up to challenge Ashitaka. "She's a wild beast. She should be out in the forest where she belongs."

Jigo snickered. "By your reasoning, Musa, you should be in the pig pen."

A few giggles erupted from the crowd and Musa grew even redder in the face.

Jigo regarded the monk then. "I feel sorry for you, young man," he smiled compassionately. "You're just a monk trying to get by. Really, it's not your fault you stumbled into a village so torn. Go with Hisa, the woman on your right, she'll make you a cup of tea." Hisa nodded and took the monk by the arm, leading him away.

"Thank you," nodded the monk. "I'm sorry for the distress I've caused."

Jigo shook his head. "It's no trouble. All this dirty laundry probably needs airing anyway."

Musa huffed. "The best years Iron Town had are the ones where we hoped the wolf girl was dead. And now you bring her back. I don't know why Eboshi allows you to stay. _Traitor_."

Ashitaka sucked in a deep breath, but did not respond.

"You may teach her how to walk and talk like a human, you may teach her how to be a wife but she will never be a human," Musa hissed. "She will never be a lady of Iron Town."

"I know," replied Ashitaka.

"She will never make a good bride," called another voice. It was Asa, Chiyo's mother, and she had her pre-pubescent daughter in tow with her. Chiyo was dressed like a woman, in a bigger, more elaborate yukata that showed off her slight curves. "That woman isn't one of us."

Jigo shook his head. "Ashitaka has already made his choice – they are married."

"Married?" Asa hissed. "How could you marry that _thing_?"

"Ashitaka!" Chiyo gasped, shocked at the thought.

"We had you marrying Chiyo in the fall," cried another woman, a friend of Asa's. "She'll make a much better wife than San. She already knows how to sew, and weave and cooks the best stew in the village."

Chiyo ran forward then and clung to Ashitaka's shirt. She began to cry and shook her head in denial. Despite her dark, long hair, she looked like Kaya. At least to Ashitaka she did.

"Ashitaka, please," she cried. "Reconsider. I'll take you back. We can be married like normal husband and wife. I promise I'll make you happy!"

Ashitaka calmly pried Chiyo's hands from his shirt. "Chiyo, please," he implored. "Don't be upset. Let me go. I love her."

"_Love_?" Chiyo cried. "How can you love her? She can't do a thing! She'll never give you what you want."

Ashitaka had pried Chiyo's hands away from his body and dropped them. "I hope one day you can understand what I am talking about."

Chiyo stumbled back towards her mother as Ashitaka turned away, heading out towards the fields and the gate to Iron Town. Jigo looked at the small group containing Musa, Asa, and Chiyo. "You should be ashamed of yourselves," he grunted. "Everything he's done for Iron Town and you can't allow him to be happy?"

Toki stepped forward to stand by Jigo's shoulder as he watched Ashitaka leave. "I heard it all," she said, putting a hand on Jigo's shoulder. "What can we do?"

The old monk shook his head. "Nothing. Just give the boy some space. I'm glad he's so level headed though. At least San wasn't around to hear it."

Toki nodded and sighed, turning to get back to work. Jigo sighed and watched the small crowd disappear, Asa and Musa still whispering bitter words between them. With a heave he turned to the right, down a small alleyway between a storage shed and a patio. There stood San with tears streaming down her face, her hands shaking.

"San," Jigo said gently.

It seemed, however, San's was not shaking in sadness, but in rage.

"Get away from me," she growled and pushed the monk away.

"San," he said, arresting her hands.

"I can never forgive you," she growled and went to bite. "And _you_, you and her killed everything I have ever known."

"I know," Jigo murmured. "And that was wrong of me, I've come to realise that."

"I hate them," she bit out, struggling to break free. "… I want them to die!"

Jigo shook his head. "How would that make Ashitaka feel? It wouldn't solve any problems, it would just make them worse."

San began to cry again and threw herself against a wall. "Why did he just stand there?"

"Ashitaka is a better person than any of us. He sees with eyes unclouded by hate," Jigo said. "He cannot hate the women for what they have said, although it does not mean he will forgive them. Fighting fixes nothing, it only creates more bloodshed. I wish I'd realised that earlier." Jigo smiled gently. "Maybe you should go find him. It would be better if he didn't know you had been listening."

* * *

Thanks to the reviewers who took the time to write a message on the last chapter. They were:

**Surfboard-Leon**  
** Sokka2Me **  
**Pryo**  
**Nick**  
** Leon The Bulletproof **  
**DeathBeNoMore **  
** G-Matt**

Thanks so much! I hope you enjoyed this chapter - one of my personal favourites, and stay tuned for an update!  
Please take the time to leave a quick review before you go.

~ Arlia'Devi.


	18. Settling In

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own The Princess Mononoke in any respect; all rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and associates. I make no money from this.

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

**18. Settling In**

Ashitaka was making his way through the forest, to a place he'd never explored before. Ahead was Toro, San's brother, weaving his way in and out of the large trees and roots. Every now and then he'd look back to his human brother to check he was still keeping up, but the wolf remained silent until they reached a large clearing in the middle of the forest.

"This is it," he said, motioning Ashitaka forward with his snout. "Is it suitable?"

Ashitaka sighed and put his hands on his hips. The clearing was indeed large and the sun was shining through the cleared canopy. There was a small cliff on the hillside, high enough to provide for afternoon shade but not high enough to cause any rocks or debris to fall from. Low ground cover spread across the clearing, and Ashitaka kicked up a little to examine the dirt.

"Why do no trees grow in this place?" he asked Toro.

"It was the resting place of a great bird god, over one thousand years ago, they say." Toro rested on his stomach under a shady tree. "The soil is rich now, they say. You could grow things."

Ashitaka nodded. "This seems suitable. I will have to see. The wood still must be shipped in from towns away. We don't have enough from rebuilding Iron Town."

"How long will it take to build a suitable home?"

Ashitaka shook his head. "I don't know. Months."

Toro nodded. "I will endeavour to help whenever I can."

Ashitaka thanked the wolf. "We'll need some of the men from the Iron Works to help as well. I don't know enough about construction to finish something like this." He looked to the wolf. "Can you handle it?"

"This is what my sister wants," he replied. "I will find a way."

Ashitaka offered the wolf a smile. "Thank you. And for allowing us to live in your forest."

Toro got to his feet. "It is what my sister wants," he repeated and turned to leave.

For a long time, Ashitaka was thankful to be left alone to his own thoughts. The forest was tranquil, and it was nice to finally have a moment's peace to himself. Things had gotten so complicated in the last 14 days, everything had happened so suddenly. It seemed in only a moment he'd had a sullen life to one that was brimming with drama.

Ashitaka sighed and sat down on a large smooth stone. There was a small inlet near the stone that would easily catch rainwater off the hillside. He ran his hand over the stone – it was smooth. Perhaps the area was liable to flooding in the future. He'd have to bank up the house before constructing it.

Ashitaka's mind wandered back to the events of the morning. He'd known people to loathe San's existence within Iron Town, but he had not been expecting that. Not from Asa or Chiyo, especially. Although the young woman had been awfully kind to him, he'd thought little of it. He was well a man, and she was barely a young woman – not yet fourteen, and he'd had no interest in her. In some ways, Chiyo reminded Ashitaka of Kaya; he had cared for the woman, very much so, but he had not loved her – not truly. Not like he loved San.

And he loved San.

Ashitaka laughed. Whenever he admitted his love for the woman, she would laugh it off at him – love was a human convention she had little use for. Instead, she told him that their actions in the bedroom, them being together was more than enough than she needed. True, Ashitaka didn't mind this. He would take San as she was.

True, San was nothing like the village women and this did not bother him. She barely knew how to cook, she knew how to sew basic patch-ups, and weave together roots and leaves for makeshift carry items, but she lacked the knowledge and skill of other women her age – trained from birth to be good wives. Yet the women of the village did not understand he did not want to wed one of their daughters, their perfect wives – he wanted San, and her imperfections, and her perfections and everything that came with being with her.

San could show him the best places in the forest to hunt rabbits, or to find Yakul's yellow mushrooms. She knew where and when the trees and vines bore fruit and which ones were healthy or fatal.

"Ashitaka?" a small form came through the foliage, smiling gently.

Ashitaka bolted up. "Oh, San – I didn't hear you."

"I know," she said. "I've been here for a while. Watching you."

She watched as his eyes fell.

"Oh," was all he said.

San looked around the clearing. She scruffed up a bit of dirt with her toe and looked up the cliff face. "I haven't been here in a while."

"Toro brought me here," Ashitaka replied. "I want to make this our home. He thinks we should live in the forest."

San nodded and took a step closer to Ashitaka. She wasn't so sure as Toro thought, or Ashitaka thought. It was probably the latter.

"I like it," she said with a nod. "I like it here. This is a good spot."

"The soil is rich here. We could grow what we need. There's plenty of room for a house, a good sized house – a storage shed, somewhere to keep Yakul out of the rain."

San watched as Ashitaka's eyes ran over the empty field, imagining what could become of it. "See here," he motioned to the small inlet near his feet. "I bet rainwater gathers here. It's pretty moist. We could make this a little water hole."

San smiled. "It's tranquil out here. It feels like nobody can hurt you, because they can't even get to you."

Ashitaka nodded. "Iron Town is always busy. There's never any silence."

San agreed. "But you have friends in Iron Town, Ashitaka," she said, touching her mate's shoulder gently. "I heard everything this morning."

"You're not angry?" he asked incredulously.

"I was," she said, shaking her head. "So angry I wanted to rip their heads off. Jigo knew I was there, he found me after. I tried to hurt him. I had my dagger. I'm sorry Ashitaka."

Ashitaka took the woman into his arms. "I thought we could get past it. Now all it feels like we can do is run."

San moved her head to gaze into his eyes. "Do you hate them, Ashitaka?" she asked.

Ashitaka shook his head. "No. They are stubborn, and they do not understand and that angers me, but I do not hate them."

She smiled and gently traced the inside of Ashitaka's scared wrist; a reminder of his even state of mind. She brought his hand to her mouth and kissed it gently.

"You are a better human than I will ever be," she whispered. "The Forest God was wise to keep you alive."

Ashitaka smiled gently. "Come on," he murmured, grabbing San's hand and entwining his fingers through hers. "Let's get back to the village, I want to talk to some men about building us a house."

* * *

On the way back through the village, Ashitaka and San walked past the large furnace being powered by a group of women. San stopped for a moment and watched the bellows get worked. She felt the heat of the Iron Works against her cheeks, and watched the fire rise from the furnace. It did not smell as much as it had from the past. The entire building echoed with the sound of women laughing and singing, a few younger girls playing on small string instruments by the wall.

_Hitotsu Futatsu wa Akago mo Fumuga  
Mittsu Yottsu wa Oni mo Naku, Naku  
Tatara Onna wa Kogane no Nasake  
Tokete Nagarerya Yaiba ni Kawaru_

_One, Two, even babies can push  
Three, Four, even an ogre would cry  
The golden love of a Tatara woman  
Melts and flows, and changes into a blade._

The sound was rhythmic as the women sung, in time with the pushes against the bellows. San noticed Toki working the bellows out of a group of women, and a young girl was looking after her daughter close by. Gently, San felt Ashitaka's hand tug her along.

"Is that women's work?" San asked. She'd never seen Toki work outside her house.

"For the women here, it is," replied Ashitaka. "Normally it's not, but the women here are treated differently to women outside of Iron Town. It's because of Lady Eboshi."

San snorted at the woman's name. "I will never like that woman."

"No one is going to force you to like her," Ashitaka reminded his wife gently. "You wanted to know why the women were working the bellows, so I told you."

San looked up at her husband, who was looking straight ahead as they came into the main street. There were many people bustling around, as there normally was any time of day.

"I need you for this," he whispered gently as they came to approach an old man. He was drinking sake and looking over some scrolls. The man was probably in his early sixties, had a small amount of grey hair and thin limbs. San looked up at Ashitaka in surprise – what did he have planned?

"Akihito," Ashitaka called and the old man craned his neck up.

"Oh, Ashitaka!" smiled Akihito, stumbling to his feet to shake the young man's hand. "And this must be your wife, nice to meet you, my dear."

San nodded her acknowledgement.

"Akihito, I'm looking at building a new home," he began carefully. The old man nodded. "I was wondering how long it may take for the wood to be suitable for building."

Akihito scratched his head and made a face. "It depends, Ashitaka," said Akihito. "I'd have to survey the land. It might need leveling and banking before we even begin. That could take several weeks. Your house was only built a year ago - you're looking at leaving us?"

Ashitaka nodded. "Yes, but at the same time, not really, I won't be too far away. San and I are looking to live in the forest. We want to build a house to live. She'll give any workers access to the forest if they're willing to help us."

Akihito nodded and scratched his head. "Well, it's a nice time to start building. It's getting dryer as the months grow hotter. I wish you'd brought this up earlier – it may take several weeks to order the seasoned wood, but I'll see what I can do. Leave the recruitement of men to me, but you'll understand you may not enlist as many workers as we did to build your house, Ashitaka."

Ashitaka nodded solemnly. "Thank you for your help, Akihito."

"No problem, my son," Akihito grinned and went to take a sip of his sake. "It's nice to see you around so happy. You were quite gloomy before. My granddaughter," he groaned a little. "My granddaughter has had quite a crush on you for many years. I'm sorry about that."

Ashitaka shook it off. "I hold no grudge against them. My wife is San."

Akihito nodded and waved the two away then. "Alright, Ashitaka, come back and talk to me in a week's time. I'll see what I can scratch up for you."

As they walked away, Ashitaka heard someone call him from behind and whirled around. Toki was just finishing her shift at the furnaces and had Maya sitting in a sling on her back. She gave the two a smile.

"Hey," she grinned. Maya gurgled and grabbed at her mother's hair. "What are you two up to?"

"Speaking with Akihito," Ashitaka sighed. "Yakul's out in the forest. I was going to have some lunch."

Toki nodded. "Well, why don't you two come over, Kohroku's going to be finishing his shift on the tower, and we can all have lunch together. I bought a big pheasant yesterday – I was just coming over to ask if you wanted half a batch."

San looked to Ashitaka and nodded once, and Ashitaka accepted the offer.

"Great," said Toki. "Hey San, why don't you show me how to gut the bird. It always takes me ages and grosses me out."

San nodded, and with a smile, the couple followed Toki and Maya in for lunch.

* * *

Thanks to those people who reviewed the last chapter! They were...

**Oraccio **  
**Nick **  
**Pyro **  
** Sokka2Me **  
** Leon The Bulletproof**

****Thank you, and please remember to leave a quick review before you go!

~ Arlia'Devi


	19. Epiphany

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own The Princess Mononoke in any respect; all rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and associates. I make no money from this.

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

**19. Epiphany**

San was lying on the floor of the hut, her bare back pressed against the reed tatami mats and her eyes watching the moon filter through the small window above the futon Ashitaka slept on.

She slept like this sometimes, because the futon wasn't comfortable, or what she was used to. Sometimes her back ached badly, and it was nice just to stretch it out on something flat. Beside her, her husband snored softly in his sleep. He was lying on his stomach, his face buried into his arms and the fabrics and furs kicked about around him.

San stood up and smiled down at Ashitaka. A fondness for him warmed her heart. Her mother and brothers had always claimed he loved her, but she'd always been confused. Her mother had said love was a foolish human emotion that made men do stupid things. San sighed and pulled on her dress. Ashitaka coughed a little in his sleep and rolled over onto his back. When his hand searched for her body beside him, San thought it would be best to leave before he woke up. Very silently she slipped out of the hut, not even waking Yakul.

San climbed to the thatched roof of their house and sat, staring at the stars she could see above. Many of the constellations she could see in the forest were blocked by the giant walls of Iron Town. Somehow, the walls looked taller than before.

There were still a few people out, even though it was dark and late. Some samurai-armour laden men walked the streets, and guards walked around the perimeter of the wall above her. Sometimes Ashitaka did that job, but not tonight.

San thought about the day that had just passed – the morning had been a disaster. Ashitaka had never spoken to her about Chiya. The girl was but a child, and yet she was eligible to be wed in the coming months. She had been angry he had never told her. Still, she couldn't remain angry at him. There was something about Ashitaka that made her feel calm.

San sighed and rested her chin on her knees. There was something about him alright.

This morning, she'd felt horrible. Someone else had wanted to be with Ashitaka – someone that lived in Iron Town wanted to take her place beside him. San felt her chest constrict, and her anger bubble. She wanted to be mad at Ashitaka, and demand to know if it was true. She wanted to kill the girl, and she wished she felt her dagger's cool stone against the palm of her hand. But something had held her back from attacking the group. She'd stayed out of sight from Ashitaka, though apparently the man who had taken the Spirit of the Forest's head knew she had been there. Something told her Ashitaka would not have wanted her there, causing more trouble. She wanted to make him happy. She didn't want to cause him trouble.

Her heart felt funny whenever he told her he loved her, which was frequently. When he smiled at her and his eyes darkened in that way before they came together, her stomach felt strange – like one hundred butterflies were trying to get free. San swallowed thickly.

Did she love him?

San shook her head. What did that even mean? It was such a foolish human emotion – but her brothers always called her human, could she have this feeling?

She wanted to run back inside and shake Ashitaka awake and demand what to know what love was and how she'd know if she felt it. San huffed and looked at the thatching on the roof. Why was it so hard being human?

San woke up with the sun, realising she'd fallen asleep on the roof of their hut. It had been a nice night and the thatching had been soft. When she awoke, San jumped down and let Yakul out. The elk whinnied appreciatively and trotted out to the fields to graze and sun himself. San laughed at Yakul has he trotted out happily – he was a strange animal. She'd never known an animal that hung around with humans to be as happy as he was with Ashitaka.

San entered the house and began to start the fire. Fire was easy to master, and Ashitaka had shown her how to control it while he was out. He wasn't out of bed yet, and that wasn't surprising. It took a little while to light up that room, and while it was still dark, he slept.

San considered putting some rice on to boil, though she didn't know what Ashitaka wanted for breakfast. There was still the pheasant stew they could have, and that had been delicious last night. Her stomach grumbled, so impatiently, San went to wake her husband.

"Ashitaka, are you awake?" she called by the door, hearing the man groan and roll over in his sleep. That was strange – the room was bright with light, he should have been awake by now.

San walked to the side of the futon and knelt down. She shook Ashitaka's shoulder.

"Ashitaka, it's time to get up."

The man groaned and rolled onto his back.

"San," he whimpered. San gasped and scampered back from his face. "I feel terrible." He chuckled at his wife's reaction. "Huh, I guess I look terrible, too."

San approached Ashitaka warily. He had dark circles hanging under his eyes, and his eyes held a coat of this yellow crust. His nose was red and his tongue was covered in a coat of white fur.

"What's the matter?" she asked as Ashitaka sat up.

"I'm sick," he barked out, coughing into his sleeve. "I must have caught something, maybe a cold from around the village."

"Can you get better?" she asked desperately.

He nodded. "I'll be better in a few days. I just have to rest."

San swallowed nervously and looked about the room. She felt Ashitaka shiver in her arms, and looked at him. His forehead was covered in sheen of sweat. San frowned – he was shivering like he was cold, but sweating like he was hot. She put her hand on his forehead. He felt hot. Hotter than usual.

"Wait here," San murmured as she went to pull on her shoes and her fur coat. "Are you hungry?" she asked.

Ashitaka shook his head.

"I'll be back in a moment."

San grabbed her dagger and disappeared out the door.

* * *

"Where is he?" Asa as she waited by the bellows. Jigo entered the furnace with his sleeves rolled up.

"Ashitaka's not coming today – I'll fix the problem for you," he said, climbing to the top of the fires. Gossip erupted within the women's group underneath him.

"What's wrong with him?" a young girl asked.

"He's ill. I went around his house this morning."

"Ill?" said Chiya. "We should make him some soup. That would certainly get him feeling better."

"Don't go causing trouble for yourself, Chiya," Jigo said, poking his head from out the furnace. "His wife will take ample care of him."

"His _wife_," Asa rolled her eyes.

Jigo sighed and adjusted his shirt as to not get soot on the cotton. For a while he tinkered and played with the furnances, and then over to the bellows that the women stood on to find the problem. Geez, Ashitaka was a lot better at this than he was – he had a general idea of how they worked, but he hadn't helped rebuild them like Ashitaka had.

"I can't seem to fix the problem," Jigo sighed. "I'll go find Umani."

"Good luck," one of the ladies scoffed. "We've been looking for him the past week. You men," she rolled her eyes. "So unreliable."

Jigo grinned and left the ladies to head down to the market. As he suspected, he found a young woman with a babe wrapped to her back down browsing along the stalls. When Toki wasn't working at the Iron Works, she was down in the markets, ordering food for her family. Jigo approached her.

"Ashitaka's come down with an illness," Jigo said after greeting the woman. "I was around his place this morning when he was running late to repair the bellows. Do you think you could make some soup up and take it to him later?"

Toki nodded. "Is it bad?"

"He's coughing, and his head is heavy."

Toki nodded and went to buy a large root of ginger from the old man vendor.

"This should help," she said, pushing the ginger into her basket. "I'll go around before lunch and check on him. What about San?"

"She wasn't there when I arrived. I asked him where she went – he said she didn't know. Yakul's out in the fields."

Toki chewed her lip nervously.

"Well, never mind," she said. "I'll look after my boy."

Around an hour later, Toki was taking a potful of soup towards Ashitaka's hut. There was a small line of smoke coming from the roof, but the tatami mat doorway had not been pinned up. Inside, she heard murmuring and peeked her head into the house.

San had her back to Toki and was leaning over two small rocks, grinding things between their coarse surfaces. Beside her, Toki saw a small basket full of berries, leaves and roots, and as San finish grinding the leaves into a paste, she added it to a small pot of steaming water.

"San," Toki whispered. The wolf girl jumped.

"Toki… I – um," she looked around the room nervously. "Ashitaka's sick!"

"I know," she nodded as San picked up the warm can. "Can I come in?"

San nodded and headed off to the bedroom off the main living area, slipping past a reed mat. Toki heard groaning, and San's voice growing so soft she couldn't make out what she was saying. Toki paced carefully across the floor, putting her pot of soup by the fire and parting the reed mat.

Ashitaka rested his head on San's lap as she offered the warm drink to his pale lips.

"Drink it, Ashitaka."

He drank a few sips, his hand gripping San's knee to stay steady before he spluttered and San took the drink away. Gently she put her husband back in his futon.

Toki knelt down beside the two.

"Hey Ashitaka," she said, brushing his hair from his face. "How you feeling?"

"Terrible," he murmured back in a harsh whisper.

San looked at the warm brown drink. "This is an old health potion my mother told me about. It cures any coughing sickness."

"Do wolves get sick?" Toki asked.

San shook her head. "When I was little, I grew very sick. She asked the Spirit of the Forest what to do to save me. He told her to give me this."

Toki smiled and took San's hand.

"Come on, we'll let him rest," she said and lead San back out to the fire. San spotted the small pot. "I've brought you some dinner," Toki said. "Just head it up." Then she went to dig a small end of ginger out of her bag and put it in San's hand. "This will help. Just grind a little up and put in warm water. There's some in the soup already."

San nodded. "Thank you."

"Jigo came through while you were out," she said. "Ashitaka was supposed to check on the furnaces today. I'll make sure no one disturbs you tonight. Remember to bring in Yakul."

San nodded. "Thank you, Toki…I-," she looked to the bedroom and her brows puckered. "Will you come tomorrow morning?"

"Of course," Toki replied. "Come and get me anytime, San. You know where I live." The woman exited the house with a small wave. San waved back and watched the reed mat fall down before sighing.

For a long time, San sat around the house. Ashitaka had a needle and threat in a small box, so she sat down and restitched her dresses and shoes. Then she went and gathered water and fire wood for the night. By the time she'd done that and negotiated to walk the least populated streets, it was time to call in Yakul. The elk came to San without a fuss and could feel something was off with his master. San penned him in for the night and gave him fresh water and feed. Yakul nestled her hand affectionately. San sighed and scratched behind his ear.

San put the soup on the embers of the fire to warm, stirring it gently. It was yellow and smelt delicious – there was a small amount of pheasant meat, and the smell of ginger filled the room. Noodles swam in the broth. While it heated, she put another pot of water onto the cooler embers and began grinding the forest's harvest.

San entered the bedroom to wake Ashitaka. There was a cloth she'd pinned over the window when he'd said the sunlight was giving him a headache. Carefully, she knelt by his side. She pushed the hair from his forehead and ran the backs of her fingers down his cheeks.

"Ashitaka…"

"San," he called hoarsely, rolling to his back. His eyes were crusted over in a yellow muck. "San, I can't see."

San ran out to the other room and grabbed the warmed water off the fire and a small piece of fabric. She poured the water into a small porcelain dish, and went back into the bedroom. Setting the dish back down, she let Ashitaka lean on her lap as she gently wiped the residue from his eyes.

"Are you hungry?" she asked.

"Not really."

San shook her head. "You have to eat something, Ashitaka!"

He smiled gently as she wiped at his eyes. "I'll eat, even though I don't feel like it. Is Yakul…?"

"In," she replied. "It's already dark. You've slept all day."

Ashitaka felt the cloth run over his eyes and slowly his eyes began to feel less heavy. San was silent for a long time and all he heard was the sloshing of the water as San washed off the cloth. Eventually she finished his last eye and sniffed. Ashitaka rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger before cracking them open.

"Why are you crying?" he asked hoarsely, looking up at his wife.

San touched her cheek. It was wet. She shook her head.

"San," Ashitaka laughed.

"Are you going to die?" she whispered, pushing his slick hair back from his face before trailing the wet cloth over his cheeks and face.

"No," he replied. "I feel horrible, but I don't think I'm going to die."

San nodded and leant over so she could rest the bridge of her nose against Ashitaka's forehead. He felt hot drops hit his skin and craned his neck to kiss San on the crown of her head.

"Ashitaka…," she whispered with a wobble. "I love you."

* * *

Thanks to those people who reviewed the chapter 18!

**Pyro**  
**Nick **  
** Sokka2Me **  
** Leon The Bulletproof **  
** taskarrthetwisted**  
** DeathBeNoMore **

****The next chapter will be the final chapter to this story "The Epilogue". I hope you enjoyed this chapter - it was one of my personal favourites. In the festive season, please take the time to leave a review - we're almost at 200, can we make it?  
Thank you all and happy holidays,

**Arlia'Devi.**


	20. Epilogue

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own The Princess Mononoke in any respect; all rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and associates. I make no money from this.

**Between Men and Wolves**

By Arlia'Devi

**20. Epilogue**

"[pitching the proposal for Mononoke-hime (1997)] There cannot be a happy ending to the fight between the raging gods and humans. However, even in the middle of hatred and killings, there are things worth living for.A wonderful meeting, or a beautiful thing can exist. We depict hatred, but it is to depict that there are more important things. We depict a curse, to depict the joy of liberation. What we should depict is, how the boy understands the girl, and the process in which the girl opens her heart to the boy. At the end, the girl will say to the boy, "I love you, Ashitaka. But I cannot forgive humans." Smiling, the boy should say, "That is fine. Live with me."  
― Hayao Miyazaki

_A year and a half later..._

A pregnant Toki was working in a large garden with a handful of other women. The sun was coming to the middle of the sky and it was getting sweltering in their working clothes. The sound of their hoes hitching up the dirt and their banter filled the air. Gently they began to sing a working song as the day toiled by and they planted seeds for the early winter crops.

San entered the village, walking over to where Toki worked. The older woman greeted her warmly.

"The seeds just came in yesterday," Toki said, dusting her hands off on her apron. "Take five ladies," she called to the women folk, who dropped their tools and went to sit by the shade of a leafy tree and grab a drink from a bucket.

Toki ushered San into her house and grimaced at the scene before her – her husband, Kohroku and their daughter Maya, now two, sleeping against the far wall. Maya had her head nestled into her father's chest, clutching his shirt in her tiny fist. Kohroku had his arm under her bottom, supporting her.

"Lazy, aren't they?" Toki rolled her eyes. "I hope this new kid isn't allergic to a little bit of work. Ah, here it is." Toki grabbed the small pack of seeds from her basket and handed it to San. In exchange, San handed her back a small amount of money.

"Thanks," she said, putting the coins into a small pouch. "Hey, there's a big feast down in the mess halls tonight, you and Ashitaka should come in to Iron Town for the night."

San shook her head, "No thanks," she politely declined. "Yama killed a cow this morning. He promised me a leg."

Toki made a face.

"I have to be going," San called, putting the seeds into her tunic. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye, San," Toki waved the girl goodbye as she ran out the village before turning and rolling her eyes as her husband let out a loud snore. Some things never changed around here.

San ran out through the gates and onto the grassy fields. She saw Yakul grazing, and he trotted over to her rather happily.

"Yakul," she smiled and scratched his chin. "Is Ashitaka still out in the clearing?"

The elk nodded and whinnied as San climbed onto his back and took to the forest, weaving through the trees and dirt roads before they came to a clearing at the base of a small hill covered in trees. The sun filtered through the canopy and the ground was covered in wild flowers and low-growing grasses. Against a sheer rock face was a small, new, hut made out of bright fresh wood and a cleanly thatched roof. A little to the right of the house, beside the tree line was a large, rich garden bed. The man working in the soil stood up and watched the woman upon the elk approach.

"San," Ashitaka ran to Yakul's side, helping the woman down. "How is everyone?"

"Well," she said. "You should go in yourself and see, husband."

"Did you get them?" he asked. San tossed him the seed packet.

"Great," he grinned. "We can get these in today." Ashitaka groaned and stretched his back. "I'm famished, want some lunch?"

San nodded and went to walk inside when suddenly she stopped. Ashitaka turned leisurely and San shot him a sharp look.

"We're being watched," she muttered lowly. Ashitaka drew his branch-cutting knife and gripped the handle tightly, his eyes shifting around. If only he had his bow and arrows, but they, like San's spear, were resting just inside.

"Alright," San called. "We know you're here. Come out!"

Yakul began to freak out a little, and Ashitaka moved to calm the elk as his fur shingles stood tall.

A low growling erupted from the surrounding foliage and Yakul let out a large bleat.

Suddenly something white and fast lunged at Ashitaka's ankle, latching onto the cotton pant and shaking it between it's mouth violently.

"Hey, hey!" Ashitaka cried, kicking off his assailant and letting go of Yakul. Yakul stumbled backwards into a trap.

Two more ltitle white demons came out from the bushes, running around Yakul's feet and jumping back and forth, growling loudly. By now, Ashitaka had grabbed the little monster that had grabbed onto his pant leg and was holding her under his arm. San went to catch her nephews by their scruffs and pull them away from Yakul.

"Rani gave off our positions," one of the boy wolves San was holding cried. San dropped them both on the ground at Ashitaka's feet. The two wolves named Eno and Anizu growled began to claw at the dirt.

"I did not!" cried Rani who was dropped to sit with her brothers. She bit Eno's ear and pulled hard.

"Leave Yakul alone," San chided. "You know he can't handle you scaring him like that."

Eno looked away. "Father told us to hunt rabbits. Ashitaka is much better. We weren't gonna hurt him! Promise!" Anizu ran to roll in the newly turned dirt in the vegetable patch. "We thought we could help out Ashitaka today and then he'd play with us." Rani ran over to join her brother.

"Are they troubling you, sister?" Yama came out of the shadows, eyeing his three pups carefully. At his feet was the leg of the cow promised. Rani and Anizu stopped playing and stood underneath a tree. "I told you not to go near the house – if you ruin it, my sister will have no food for the winters and she will have to stay in the den. Will you hunt the rabbits for her when they burrow deep underground?"

"No," replied Eno. His ears drooped over. "Sorry."

"Come now," he replied, turning his back to the hut and the two humans. "San, here is your cut as desired." He motioned to the leg before turning and leaving without another word. The three wolf pups followed their father back to the den.

Ashitaka grinned to his wife on the departing wolves and said, "I knew they were there for quite a while. They're not very quiet and they argue a lot about how they're going to stalk me down." He went to grab the leg and cut the hoof off with the end of his sword. "Let's get some lunch."

San nodded and followed her husband and mate into the house. It was certainly different to the small one-bedroom hut they'd lived in at Iron Works – they'd bought nicer things, better fabrics and chests. She'd worked on a lot of furs, and they were packed away in a storage shed for winter. They'd also added more bedrooms.

Ashitaka sat down by the fire pit and began to chop up the meat.

"Carrots would be nice," he smiled and San handed him a carrot from a small pile of garden vegetables.

"I harvested some Jaraberries this morning," she showed Ashitaka the basket and tossed him one. "I've been thinking now, if we have enough food for the winter."

"We will," he nodded and added some beef to the pan. The carrots were sizzling away in a low frying pan. Ashitaka added some ground ginger and spices for taste. "There's miso in the barrels, there is a chest full of dried fish, and a few bags of rice."

San shook her head. "I didn't think how long it was going to take to build this house for us…"

Ashitaka looked around the mess before him. There were still many things that they'd bought to unpack. He laughed. "We've been getting it more like a home and less like a house," he said. "There's time in winter when we have to stay indoors to get it all done. Besides, I wanted those extra rooms." He looked at San and smiled. "It seems we needed them."

Her hand travelled down to the slight swell in her stomach and felt something flutter inside. "You were right."

"I was wondering," Ashitaka said, coming to sit by San as he stirred the stir-fry and put some rice on to cook. "If our pup is going to be as troublesome as our niece and nephews?"

San laughed. "They're youngsters, let them be happy."

Ashitaka nodded and smiled. He looked to his young wife. "We're happy now, aren't we? After everything that's happened to us, I mean - is this our happy ending?"

San shrugged and laughed. Ashitaka rubbed her stomach fondly. "Maybe, Ashitaka."

**The End.**

Thanks to everyone who reviewed during this story - your support was much appreciated! I was so happy so many people looked out for updates and can safely say this story is now completed. I added a new cover for it, which, frankly, is a bazillion times better than the one I originally did for it. I don't know if I have any more plans to write AshitakaxSan in the future, besides finishing "She Wolf", but I'll be lurking around the fandom somewhere. Thanks for your support, and please take the time to leave a quick review for this final chapter before you go!

Thanks everyone!

**~ Arlia'Devi.**


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